(THEElLERYARMSCfl 
\  SAN  FRANCISCO,  CAl. 


GIFT  OF 
Miss  J.   T.   Vinther 


THE 

Pistol  and  Revolver 


By 

A.  L.  A.  HIMMELWRIGHT 

President,  United  States  Revolver  Association;  Director  and  Life  Member,  New 

York  State  Rifle  Association;    Captain,  American  Team,  Second  Franco- 

American  International   Revolver  Match;    Chairman,  Revolver 

Committee,  Manhattan  Rifle  and  Revolver  Association,  etc. 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW    YORK 

PRINTED    BY 


J.    J,    LITTLE    &    CO. 
1908 


GV//7-5 


Copyright,  1904, 
THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

Copyright,  1908, 
BY  A.  L.  A.  HIMMELWRIGHT 


GIFT  OF 


•         •«•€•*•«• 

•V. : '-.;: '.« :  "• 

.•«••••**••       * 


NOTE. — A  large  portion  of  the  subject  matter 
in  this  volume  was  published  originally  in  Guns, 
Ammunition,  and  Tackle  (American  Sports- 
man's Library),  copyright,  1904,  by  The  Mac- 
mlllan  Co. 


DEDICATED 

TO    THE    MEMORY    OF 

ARTHUR   CORBIN   GOULD 


921578 


"  Every  right-minded  and  patriotic  citizen 
of  the  United  States  should  be  a  good  marks- 
man. It  is  a  duty  he  owes  to  his  country 
under  her  present  liberal  institutions,  which 
do  not  exact  military  service,  but  presume 
reliance  in  a  large  measure  on  citizen  soldiery 
in  case  of  war." 


PREFACE 

Interest  in  pistol  and  revolver  shooting  has 
increased  very  rapidly  in  recent  years  and  par- 
ticularly since  smokeless  powder  has  been  intro- 
duced. 

The  revolver  and  the  magazine  pistol  now 
constitute  part  of  the  regular  equipment  of  army 
and  navy  officers  and  cavalry  troops.  Regula- 
tions governing  practice  shooting  with  these 
arms  have  been  issued  and  adopted  by  both 
branches  of  the  service  and  by  the  National 
Guard  of  the  various  States.  In  the  National 
Rifle  Association  and  in  the  various  State  Rifle 
Associations  that  have  recently  been  organized, 
pistol  and  revolver  shooting  has  an  important 
place,  and  the  matches  provided  are  largely 
patronized.  In  the  numerous  civilian  shooting 
clubs  scattered  throughout  the  country  pistol 
and  revolver  shooting  has  become  extremely 
popular,  and  in  many  cases  the  majority  of  the 
members  practice  more  frequently  with  the 
smaller  arms  than  with  the  rifle. 

Practice  with  the  pistol  and  revolver  affords 
training  in  sighting,  steady  holding  and  pulling 


6  Preface 

the  trigger,  which  are  the  essential  features  of 
rifle  shooting  also.  On  account  of  this  relation, 
and  the  fact  that  skill  with  these  arms  can  be 
instantly  utilized  in  rifle  shooting,  the  develop- 
ment of  marksmanship  with  the  pistol  and  re- 
volver properly  assumes  national  importance. 

While  numerous  standard  works  have  been 
written  on  the  subject  of  rifle  shooting,  there  is 
comparatively  little  information  available  on 
pistol  and  revolver  shooting.  The  object  of 
this  volume  is  to  supply  practical  information 
on  this  subject.  The  author  has  attempted  to 
treat  the  subject  in  a  clear  and  concise  manner, 
keeping  the  size  of  the  volume  as  small  as  prac- 
ticable and  so  as  to  be  conveniently  carried  in 
the  pocket.  Particular  pains  have  been  taken 
to  give  sound  advice  and  elementary  instruction 
to  beginners. 

The  author  extends  his  grateful  acknowledg- 
ments to  Messrs.  J.  B.  Crabtree,  John  T- 
Humphrey,  William  E.  Carlin,  Chas.  S.  Axtell, 
Walter  Winans,  Walter  G.  Hudson,  Ed.  Tay- 
lor, J.  E.  Silliman,  M.  Hays,  Baron  Speck  von 
Sternburg,  and  the  various  arms  and  ammunition 
manufacturers  referred  to  herein,  for  valuable 
suggestions,  information  and  data  in  preparing 
this  volume. 

A.     L.     A.     HlMMELWRIGHT. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

DEDICATION    .         .         .         .         .        .         .        ..         3 

PREFACE     5 

CONTENTS       7 

ILLUSTRATIONS 9 

HISTORICAL 11 

ARMS  .  15 

MILITARY 16 

TARGET 24 

POCKET 31 

AMMUNITION 34 

RIM-FIRE  CARTRIDGES      .         .         .         .         .        35 
CENTRAL-FIRE  CARTRIDGES         ^  .         .38 

SIGHTS    . 53 

POSITION .         ,         -55 

TARGET  SHOOTING 61 

REVOLVER  PRACTICE  FOR  THE  POLICE  .  .  .  82 
PISTOL  SHOOTING  FOR  LADIES  .  .  .  .  86 
CLUBS  AND  RANGES  .......  90 

HINTS  TO  BEGINNERS 100 

SELECTION  OF  ARMS 100 

MANIPULATION         .         .         .  .         .       105 

POSITION  AND  AIMING 106 

TARGET  PRACTICE  .         .         .         .         .  in 

CLEANING  AND  CARE  OF  ARMS  ....   121 

RELOADING  AMMUNITION         .....       124 

PRIMERS        .         .  .....  125 

SHELLS .125 

BULLETS  .         .         .         .         .  126 

POWDERS  .         .         .         .         .  .         .       132 

RELOADING  .......  136 


8  Contents 

APPENDIX 


PAGE 


ANNUAL  CHAMPIONSHIP  MATCHES  OF  THE  UNITED 
STATES  REVOLVER  ASSOCIATION  ....  143 

RULES  AND  REGULATIONS  GOVERNING  THE  CHAM- 
PIONSHIP MATCHES  ......  146 

METHODS  AND  CUSTQMS  FOLLOWED  IN  CONDUCTING 
THE  ANNUAL  CHAMPIONSHIP  MATCHES  .  .  149 

INSTRUCTIONS  TO  RANGE  OFFICERS  IN  CHARGE  OF 
THE  ANNUAL  CHAMPIONSHIP  MATCHES  .  .  151 

RECORDS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  REVOLVER  ASSO- 
CIATION .  .  .  .  .  .  .  152 

INDEX     .        .        .  •      .         .         .         .         ,         .     155 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

REVOLVERS 19,  21,  23,  33 

PISTOLS       .......    23,  25,  27,  33 

PISTOL  AND  REVOLVER  CARTRIDGES  AND  BULLETS  36  to  47 
SIGHTS    .         .         .  ,         .         .         .         .  53,  54 

SHOOTING  POSITIONS: 

WALTER  WINANS,  C.   S.  AXTELL    ...         57 
THOMAS  ANDERTON,  C.  S.   RICHMOND        .         .58 
E.  E.   PATRIDGE,  SERGT.  W.   E.   PETTY          .         59 
J.   E.   GORMAN,  DR.  R.   H.  SAYRE     .         .         .60 
STANDARD  AMERICAN  TARGET       ....         78 

COMBINATION   SET. — SMITH    AND    WESSON     .38-CAL. 

REVOLVER,  .22-CAL.  PISTOL,  UTENSILS,  ETC.,  IN  CASE     89 
DETAILS  OF  ALTERNATING  TARGETS,  PIT,  ETC.,  FOR 

50-YARD  RANGE 93 

DETAILS  OF  BOOTHS  AT  FIRING  LINE,  "  TROLLEYS/' 

AND  BUTT  FOR  GALLERY  RANGES  95 

CORRECT  MANNER  OF  HOLDING  THE  REVOLVER       .   102 
CORRECT    POSITION   OF   THE    SIGHTS  IN   AIMING  AT 

THE  TARGET .       108 

THE  TRAVEL  OF   THE  LINE  OF  THE   SIGHTS  ABOUT 

THE  BULL'S-EYE  IN  AIMING 108 

MOULDING  BULLETS       .....  128 


THE    PISTOL    AND    REVOLVER 

PISTOL-SHOOTING  as  a  pastime  has  been  practised 
since  the  time  of  the  discovery  of  gunpowder. 
It  is  only  recently,  however,  that  it  has  been  rec- 
ognized as  a  legitimate  sport. 

The  useful  and  practical  qualities  of  the  pistol 
and  revolver  have  been  developed  almost  wholly 
during  the  last  half-century.  Before  this  period 
the  small  arms  designed  to  be  fired  with  one  hand 
were  crude  and  inaccurate,  and  were  intended  to 
be  used  only  at  short  range  as  weapons  of  defence. 
The  single-barrelled  muzzle-loading  pistol  has, 
nevertheless,  been  part  of  the  army  and  navy 
officer's  equipment  since  the  sixteenth  century. 
These  pistols  were  of  large  caliber,  smooth-bored, 
heavy,  and  unwieldy.  The  load  was  a  spherical 
bullet  and  a  large  charge  of  powder.  Enough 
accuracy  was  obtained  to  hit  a  man  at  15  to 
20  paces,  which  was  deemed  sufficient.  The 
usefulness  of  these  arms  in  action  was  limited  to 
the  firing  of  a  single  shot,  and  then  using  them 


12  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

<is,  rniss,Ues  or  clubs.  The  pistol  in  early  days  was 
''considered  a  gentleman's  arm  —  a  luxury.  It 
was  the  arm  generally  selected  for  duelling  when 
that  code  was  in  vogue,  the  contestants  standing 
i  o  to  20  paces  apart  and  firing  at  the  word  of 
command. 

The  development  of  the  pistol  has  been  con- 
temporaneous and  closely  identified  with  that  of 
the  rifle.  With  the  grooving  or  rifling  of  the 
barrel,  the  accuracy  was  greatly  improved  and 
the  arm  adapted  to  conical  bullets.  Although 
numerous  attempts  were  made  to  devise  a  multi- 
shot  arm  with  flint,  wheel,  and  match  locks,  it  was 
not  until  the  percussion  cap  was  invented  that  a 
practicable  arm  of  this  character  was  produced. 
This  was  a  "revolver"  invented  by  Colonel  Colt 
of  Hartford,  Conn.,  and  consisted  of  a  single  barrel 
with  a  revolving  cylinder  at  the  breech  containing 
the  charges,  the  mechanism  being  such  that  the 
cocking  of  the  piece  after  each  discharge  revolved 
the  cylinder  sufficiently  to  bring  a  loaded  chamber 
in  line  with  the  barrel.  The  greatest  advance  in 
the  development  of  firearms  was  the  introduction 
of  the  system  of  breech-loading,  employing  am- 
munition in  the  form  of  cartridges.  This  principle 
rendered  the  operation  of  loading  much  simpler 


Historical  1 3 

and  quicker,  and  vastly  improved  the  efficiency 
and  general  utility  of  the  arms.1 

The  present  popularity  of  pistol  and  re- 
volver shooting  is  due,  no  doubt,  to  recent  im- 
provements in  the  arms  and  ammunition.  The 
arms  are  now  marvels  of  fine  workmanship,  easy 
to  manipulate,  durable,  and  extremely  accurate. 
With  the  introduction  of  smokeless  powders,  the 
smoke,  fouling,  and  noise  have  been  reduced  to 
a  minimum.  The  effect  of  these  improvements 
has  been,  not  only  to  increase  the  efficiency 
of  the  arms,  but  also  the  pleasure  of  shooting 
them. 

As  a  sport,  pistol  shooting  has  much,  to  com- 
mend it.  It  is  a  healthful  exercise,  being  practised 
out-of-doors  in  the  open  air.  There  are  no  un- 
desirable concomitants,  such  as  gambling,  coarse- 
ness, and  rough  and  dangerous  play.  In  order  to 
excel,  regular  and  temperate  habits  of  life  must  be 
formed  and  maintained.  It  renders  the  senses 
more  alert  and  trains  them  to  act  in  unison  and  in 

1  For  a  detailed  history  of  the  evolution  of  the  pistol  and  revolver,  the 
reader  is  referred  to  "  Text-book  for  Officers  at  Schools  of  Musketry," 
Longman  &  Co.,  London;  "  Kriegstechnische  Zeitschrift,"  Heft  I  and  II, 
1901,  Mittler  &  Sohn,  Berlin;  "The  Modern  American  Pistol  and  Re- 
volver," Bradlee  Whidden,  Boston.  Many  interesting  specimens  of  ancient 
and  modern  pistols  and  revolvers  are  owned  and  exhibited  by  the  United 
States  Cartridge  Company  of  Lowell,  Mass. 


H  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

harmony.     But,  above  all,  skill  in  shooting  is  a 
useful  accomplishment. 

Any  one  possessing  ordinary  health  and  good 
sight  may,  by  practice,  become  a  good  pistol  shot. 
Persons  who  are  richly  endowed  by  nature  with 
those  physical  qualities  which  specially  fit  them 
for  expert  shooting,  will,  of  course,  master  the  art 
sooner  than  those  less  favored ;  but  it  has  been 
conclusively  shown  that  excellence  is  more  a 
question  of  training  and  practice  than  of  natural 
gift.  Some  of  the  most  brilliant  shooting  has 
been  done  by  persons  possessing  a  decidedly 
nervous  temperament;  but  those  of  phlegmatic 
temperament  will  generally  make  more  uniform 
and  reliable  marksmen. 

r-^ 

It  is  much  more  difficult  to  shoot  well  with  the 
pistol  or  revolver  than  with  the  rifle.  The  latter, 
having  a  stock  to  rest  against  the  shoulder  and 
steady  one  end  of  the  piece,  has  a  decided  advantage 
in  quick  aiming  and  in  pulling  the  trigger.  The 
former,  without  a  stock  and  being  held  in  one 
hand  with  the  arm  extended  so  as  to  be  free  from 
the  body,  is  without  any  anchor  or  support  what- 
ever, and  is  free  to  move  in  all  directions.  Con- 
sequently the  least  jar,  jerk  in  pulling  the  trigger, 
puff  of  wind,  or  unsteadiness  of  the  hand  greatly 

U 


Arms  i 5 

disturbs  the  aim.  Intelligent  practice  will,  how- 
ever, overcome  these  difficulties  and  disadvantages 
to  such  a  degree  that  an  expert  shot  with  a  pistol 
or  revolver  under  favorable  conditions  can  equal 
a  fair  shot  with  a  rifle  at  the  target  up  to  200  yd. 
When  the  novice  essays  to  shoot  the  pistol  or 
revolver,  the  results  are  generally  disappointing 
and  discouraging;  but  rapid  progress  invariably 
rewards  the  efforts  of  those  who  persevere,  and 
when  once  thoroughly  interested  in  this  style  of 
shooting,  there  comes  a  fascination  for  it  that 
frequently  endures  throughout  a  lifetime. 

ARMS 

The  term  "  pistol "  is  frequently  applied  indis- 
criminately to  the  single-shot  pistol  and  the  re- 
volver. A  marked  distinction  between  these  arois 
has  gradually  been  developed.  The  pistol  is  now 
recognized  as  a  single-shot  arm,  adapted  for  a 
light  charge,  and  designed  to  secure  extreme 
accuracy.  Its  use  is  limited  almost  exclusively 
to  target  and  exhibition  shooting. 

The  modern  revolver  is  an  arm  with  a  re- 
volving cylinder  holding  five  or  six  cartridges, 
which  are  at  the  instant  command  of  the  shooter 
before  it  is  necessary  to  reload.  It  is  designed 


1 6  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

for  heavy  charges,  and  is  a  practical  and  for- 
midable weapon.  Revolvers  are  made  in  great  va- 
riety, and  adapted  for  various  purposes,  such  as 
military  service,  target  shooting,  pocket  weapons, 
etc.  The  best  grades  of  pistols  and  revolvers 
may  be  had  at  a  reasonable  price.  The  cheap 
grades  with  which  the  market  is  at  all  times 
flooded  should  be  avoided.  They  are  incapable 
of  do-ing  good  work,  and  frequently  are  positively 
dangerous,  on  account  of  being  made  of  inferior 
materials. 

Military  Arms.  —  The  revolver  and  the  maga- 
zine pistol  are  used  for  military  service.  To  ful- 
fil the  requirements  these  arms  must  be  strong, 
very  durable,  and  withstand  a  great  amount  of 
hard  usage  without  becoming  disabled.  The 
effectiveness,  or  "  stopping  power,"  is  of  prime 
importance.  The  caliber  should  be  large,  and 
the  charge  sufficiently  powerful  to  give  a  pene- 
tration of  at  least  6  in.  in  pine.  There  has  been 
a  tendency  in  recent  years  to  reduce  the  caliber 
of  military'revolvers.  While  this  has  resulted  in 
increased  velocity  and  penetration,  and  reduced 
the  weight  of  the  ammunition,  it  has  not  im- 
proved the  stopping  power  of  the  arms. 

The  sights  must  in  all  cases  be  very  substan- 


Arms  1 7 

tial,  and  solidly  fixed  to  the  frame  or  barrel.  The 
trigger  pull  varies  from  4  to  8  lb.,  the  barrel 
from  4  to  7^  in.  in  length,  and  the  weight  from  2 
to  2f  lb.  Ammunition  loaded  with  smokeless 
powder  is  now  invariably  used  for  military 
service. 

The  service  revolvers  as  issued  to  the  United 
States  army  and  navy  are  the  Smith  &  Wesson 
and  Colt,  both  .38  cal.,  and  taking  the  same  am- 
munition. They  have  passed  the  prescribed 
series  of  tests  as  established  by  the  United  States 
government,1  and  represent,  without  doubt,  the 
highest  development  of  the  military  revolver. 

The  arms  shown  in  Figs,  i  and  2  have  solid 
frames,  and  the  actions  are  almost  identical,  the 
cylinder  swinging  out  to  the  left,  on  a  hinge, 
when  released  by  a  catch.  The  shells  may  then 
be  extracted  simultaneously  by  pushing  back  the 
extractor  rod.  The  Smith  &  Wesson  has  an  ad- 
ditional locking  device  in  front  of  the  cylinder. 
The  principal  difference  between  these  arms  is  in 
the  shape  of  the  handles. 

Other  excellent  military  revolvers  are  the 
Smith  &  Wesson  Russian  Model  and  the  Colt 

1  See  Ordnance  Reports,  Department  of  War,  Washington,  D.  C,  for 
complete  details  of  tests,  etc. 


1 8  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

New  Service,  both  .44  cal.  The  ammunition  for 
these  arms  was  formerly  loaded  with  black 
powder;  but  smokeless  cartridges  have  been 
adapted  to  them,  which  give  slightly  increased 
velocity  and  approximately  the  same  accuracy. 

The  Smith  &  Wesson  Russian  Model  has  a 
hinge  "  tip-up "  action,  with  an  automatic  eject- 
ing device.  The  action  is  operated  by  raising  a 
catch  in  front  of  the  hammer.  It  is  easy  to  ma- 
nipulate, and,  on  account  of  the  accessibility  of 
the  breech,  the  barrel  can  be  readily  inspected 
and  cleaned.  This  arm  is  single  action. 

The  action  of  the  Colt  New  Service  is  similar 
to  that  of  the  .38-cal.  revolver,  shown  in  Fig.  2, 
with  a  solid  frame.  It  is  double  action. 

The  foregoing  arms,  with  good  ammunition, 
are  capable  of  making  groups  of  ten  shots  on  a 
3-in.  circle  at  50  yd. 

The  Colt  Frontier  Model  is  one  of  the  most 
popular  arms  for  hard  service.  It  has  a  solid 
frame  and  is  double  action.  The  arm  is  operated 
by  opening  a  gate  on  the  right-hand  side,  back  of 
the  cylinder.  The  cartridges  are  inserted  in  the 
cylinder  through  the  gate,  the  cylinder  beirtg  re- 
volved by  hand  until  the  respective  chambers 
come  opposite  the  gate.  In  the  same  manner, 


FIG.  i.  —  Smith  &  Wesson  New  Military  Revolver. 
Six  shots;   6^-inch  barrel;  weight,  I  lb.,  15  oz. ;  .38  cal. 


FIG.  2.  —  Colt  New  Army  Revolver. 
Six  shots;   6-inch  barrel;  weight,  2  lb.;   .38  cal. 


FIG.  3.  —  Smith  &  Wesson  Russian  Model  Revolver. 
Six  shots;   6^-inch  barrel;   weight,  39 \  oz.;   .44  cal. 


20  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

the  shells  are  ejected  by  pushing  the  extractor 
rod  back  into  each  of  the  chambers. 

This  revolver  in  .45  cal.  was  formerly  the  ser- 
vice weapon  of  the  United  States  army,  and  is 
very  powerful  and  durable. 

The  Smith  &  Wesson  Schofield  Model,  .45  cal., 
was  also  formerly  a  United  States  service  weapon. 
The  ammunition  for  this  arm,  while  less  powerful 
than  the  .45  Colt,  was  admirably  adapted  for  mil- 
itary service,  and  had  much  less  recoil. 

The  Webley,  "  W.  G."  or  "Army  Model,"  re- 
volver is  an  English  arm  of  much  merit.  The 
calibre  is  .455.  It  has  a  hinge  "  tip-up"  action, 
with  an  automatic  extractor  very  similar  to  the 
Smith  &  Wesson. 

The  service  weapon  adopted  by  the  Joint  War 
Office  and  Admiralty  Committee  for  the  British 
army  and  navy  is  the  "  Webley  Mark  IV,"  or 
"Service  Model,"  revolver.  This  model  is  almost 
identical  with  the  Army  Model,  except  that  the 
barrel  is  4  in.  long  and  the  weight  is  2  Ib.  3  oz. 
On  account  of  the  short  barrel,  the  accuracy  of  this 
weapon  does  not  equal  that  of  the  Army  Model. 

Another  English  arm  is  the  " Webley- Fosbury  " 
automatic  revolver.  The  recoil  revolving  the 
cylinder  and  cocking  the  hammer,  it  can  be  fired 


FIG.  4.  —  Colt  New  Service  Revolver. 
Six  shots;   5 \ -inch  barrel;   weight,  2  lb.,  8  oz.;  .45  cal. 


FIG.  5.  —  Colt  Frontier  Model  Revolver. 
Six  shots;   5^-inch  barrel;   weight,  2  lb.,  5  oz.  ;  .45  cal. 


FIG.  6.  —  Webley  "  W.  G."  Army  Model  Revolver. 
Six  shots;   6-inch  barrel;   weight,  2  lb.,  8  oz.;   .455  cal. 


22  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

as  rapidly  as  the  automatic  pistols.  It  is  cham- 
bered for  the  .455  service  cartridge  loaded  with 
6J  gr.  of  cordite.  This  arm  has  been  introduced 
singe  1900. 

1  The  magazine  or  automatic  pistol,  which  is 
operated  by  the  recoil,  is  the  latest  type  of  hand 
firearm.  It  has  been  perfected  and  introduced 
since  1899,  and  has  almost  double  the  velocity 
and  range  of  the  revolver.  The  Colt,  Luger, 
Mauser,  Mannlicher,  and  Mors  are  among  the 
leading  makes  of  this  style  of  pistol.  All  of  these 
arms  have  been  tested  by  the  United  States  gov- 
ernment.1 A  limited  number  of  the  first  two 
named  have  been  used  since  1903  in  the  United 
1 States  army. . 

In  both  the  Colt  and  the  Luger  pistols  the  car- 
tridges are  inserted  in  clips  and  fed  into  the 
breech  through  the  handle.  In  the  Mauser  pistol 
the  cartridges  are  supplied  in  clips  from  the  top 
and  forced  into  a  magazine  located  in  front  of  the 
trigger. 

The  magazine  pistols  can  be  fired  at  the  rate 
of  about  five  shots  per  second.  These  arms  equal 
the  best  military  revolvers  in  accuracy. 

1  See  Ordnance  Reports,  Department  of  War,  Washington,  D.C.,  for 
complete  details  of  tests,  etc. 


FIG.  7.  —  Webley-Fosbury  Automatic  Revolver. 
Six  shots;   6-inch  barrel;   weight,  2  lb.,  8£  oz.;   .455  cal. 


FIG.  8.  —  Colt  Automatic  Pistol. 
Seven  shots;   6-inch  barrel;  weight,  2  lb.,  5  oz.;   .38  cal. 


FIG.  9. — The  Parabellum  or  "Luger"  Automatic  Pistol. 
Eight  shots;  4f-inch  barrel;  weight,  I  lb.,  13.4  oz.;   .30  cal. 


24  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

Many  persons  believe  that  the  magazine  pistol 
will  soon  supersede  the  revolver  for  general  use. 
While  this  may  be  the  case  eventually,  it  is  not 
likely  to  occur  within  the  next  few  years.  The 
magazine  pistol  is  more  complicated,  and  conse- 
quently more  difficult  to  learn  to  shoot  with  and 
care  for,  than  the  revolver.  On  account  of  the 
special  problems  to  be  solved  in  the  mechanism, 
many  of  them  balance  poorly  and  the  trigger  pull 
is  almost  invariably  long  and  creeping.  The 
novice  will  also  find  it  difficult  to  avoid  flinching 
in  shooting  these  arms,  on  account  of  the  recoil 
mechanism,  louder  report,  etc.  The  line  of  sight 
being  considerably  higher  than  the  grip,  if  they 
are  not  held  perfectly  plumb,  or  in  the  same  posi- 
tion at  each  shot,  the  shooting  is  liable  to  be  irregu- 
lar. The  cost  is  about  double  that  of  a  good 
revolver.  Until  these  undesirable  features  and 
disadvantages  can  be  remedied  or  eliminated,  the 
revolver  will  probably  remain  a  popular  arm. 

Target  Arms.  —  For  target  purposes  the  great- 
est possible  accuracy  is  desirable.  To  obtain  this, 
many  features  essential  in  a  military  arm  are  sac- 
rificed. Delicate  adjustable  sights  are  employed, 
the  trigger  pull  is  reduced,  the  length  of  the  bar- 
rel is  increased,  the  charge  reduced,  etc. 


FIG.  10.  —  Mauser  Automatic  Pistol. 
Ten  shots;   5^-inch  barrel;   weight,  2  lb.,  7^  oz.;   .30  cal. 


FIG.  II.  —  Smith  &  Wesson  Pistol, 
lo-inch  barrel;   weight,  I  lb.,  8J  oz.;   .22  cal. 


FIG.  12.  — Stevens  Pistol,  Gould  Model, 
lo-inch  barrel;  weight,  I  lb.,  12  oz.;   .22  cal. 


26  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

The  most  accurate  arms  available  at  the  present 
time  are  the  single-shot  pistols  manufactured  by 
Smith  &  Wesson,  Springfield,  Mass.;  The  J. 
Stevens  Arms  &  Tool  Co.,  Chicopee  Falls,  Mass.; 
The  Remington  Arms  Co.,  Ilion,  N.Y. ;  and 
William  Wurfflein,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  These  pis- 
tols are  furnished  in  calibers  from  .22  rim-fire  to 
.38  central-fire.  The  barrels  are  generally  10  in. 
in  length  and  the  trigger  pull  2  Ib.  In  the 
latest  approved  form  these  pistols  are  of  .22  cal., 
specially  bored  and  chambered  for  the  rim-fire, 
long  rifle  cartridge.  This  is  a  light,  clean,  pleas- 
ant shooting  charge,  and  may  be  fired  many  times 
with  very  little  fatigue.  Pistol  shooting  with 
arms  of  this  caliber  should,  therefore,  become  a 
popular  pastime  for  ladies  as  well  as  gentlemen. 

The  Smith  &  Wesson  pistol  has  a  tip-up  action 
and  an  automatic  extractor.  It  is  made  of  the 
best  materials  and  with  the  greatest  care.  The 
fitting  and  workmanship  are  superior  to  that  of 
any  other  machine-made  pistol.  The  action  is 
similar  to  that  of  the  Russian  Model  revolver. 

The  Stevens  pistols  are  furnished  in  two  other 
models  for  target-shooting.  The  "  Lord  "  Model 
has  a  large  frame  and  handle  and  a  heavy  bar- 
rel. Its  weight  is  2|  Ib.  The  "  Conlin  "  Model 


YIG.   13.  —  Wurfflein  Pistol. 
lO-inch  barrel;   weight,  2  lb.,  2  oz.;   .22  cal. 


FIG.  14.  —  Remington  Pistol. 
ID-inch  barrel;   weight,  2  lb.,  8  oz. ;  .44  cal. 


FIG.  15. — Gastinne-Renette  Pistol. 
IOTVinch  barrel;   weight,  2  lb.,  6  oz.;   .44  cal. 


28  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

is  the  same  as  the  "  Gould "  Model,  but  has  a 
spur  added  to  the  trigger  guard.  The  Gould 
Model  is  the  most  popular.  All  these  models 
have  a  tip-up  action  and  an  automatic  extractor. 
A  small  knob  on  the  left  side  is  pressed  to  release 
the  barrel  and  operate  the  action. 

The  Wurfflein  pistol,  like  the  Stevens,  has  a 
tip-up  action.  It  is  well  made  and  has  a  handle 
very  similar  in  shape  to  that  of  the  duelling  pistol 
of  former  days.  The  action  is  operated  by  releas- 
ing the  catch  on  the  handle,  back  of  the  hammer. 

The  Remington  pistol  has  an  exceedingly 
strong  action,  and  is  the  only  pistol  that  can  be 
had  chambered  for  the  .44  Russian  cartridge.  It 
has  a  large  handle  and  a  heavy  barrel.  The  ac- 
tion is  operated  when  the  hammer  is  at  full-cock 
by  throwing  back  the  breech-block  with  the 
thumb,  simultaneously  ejecting  the  empty  shell. 

With  good  ammunition  all  these  pistols  are 
capable  of  placing  ten  shots  within  a  2-in.  circle 
at  50  yd. 

A  very  accurate  pistol  for  gallery  and  short- 
range  shooting  is  made  by  M.  Gastinne-Renette 
of  Paris  and  used  in  his  gallery  in  that  city. 
These  are  muzzle-loading  and  very  tedious  and 
inconvenient  to  manipulate.  For  this  reason 


Arms  29 

they  have  not  become  popular.  A  few  of  these 
arms  have  been  made  up  as  breech-loaders,  with 
a  tip-up  action  similar  to  the  Stevens,  and  cham- 
bered for  the  .44  Russian  cartridge.  In  this  form 
the  pistol  has  given  very  good  results. 

The  revolver  is  not  quite  as  accurate  as  the 
pistol,  on  account  of  the  necessity  of  having  the 
cylinder  detached  from  the  barrel.  If  the  pin  on 
which  the  cylinder  revolves  is  not  at  right  angles 
with  the  end  of  the  cylinder,  there  will  be  more 
space  between  the  cylinder  and  the  breech  end  of 
the  barrel  in  some  positions  of  the  cylinder  than 
in  others.  The  result  will  be  varying  amounts 
of  gas  escaping  from  the  different  chambers  of 
the  cylinder,  and  consequently  irregular  shooting. 
The  accuracy  of  the  revolver  depends  largely 
upon  the  degree  of  perfection  in  which  all  the 
chambers  of  the  cylinder  align  with  the  bore  of 
the  barrel  at  the  instant  of  discharge.  When  the 
chambers  do  not  align  perfectly,  the  bullet  enters 
the  barrel  eccentrically  and  a  portion  of  it  is 
shaved  off.  This  is  fatal  to  accuracy,  especially 
when  smokeless  powder  is  used.  Imperfect  align- 
ment of  chamber  and  barrel  is  also  the  most  fre- 
quent cause  of  the  "leading"  of  the  barrel.  Some 
very  ingenious  mechanical  expedients  are  used  in 


«> 

30  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

the  best  revolvers  to  reduce  to  a  minimum  the 
wear  of  those  parts  which  operate  and  hold  the 
cylinder  in  position. 

The  revolvers  generally  used  for  target  shoot- 
ing are  the  military  arms  already  described,  cham- 
bered for  special  cartridges,  fitted  with  target 
sights,  special  handles,  and  other  modifications  to 
suit  the  whims  and  tastes  of  individuals.  The 
best  and  most  experienced  shots  are,  however, 
careful  to  keep  the  modifications  of  all  their  arms 
within  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  various 
national  organizations,1  in  order  that  they  may  be 
used  in  the  annual  competitions  and  other  impor- 
tant events.  These  organizations  control  pistol 
and  revolver  shooting,  and  conduct  annual  com- 
petitions. "  Freak "  arms  which  do  not  comply 
with  the  rules  are  not  allowed  in  the  competi- 
tions, are  seldom  practical,  and  have  little  or  no 
value  other  than  for  experimental  purposes.  Tar- 
get arms  are  generally  used  for  trick  and  exhibi- 
tion shooting.2 

1  The  United  States  Revolver  Association,  The  National  Rifle  Associa- 
tion of  Great  Britain,  and  the  United  Shooting  Societies  of  France.     For 
programmes  and  details,  address  the  secretaries  of  the  respective  organiza- 
tions. 

2  For  descriptions  and  illustrations  of  this  style  of  shooting,  see  "  The 
Art  of  Revolver  Shooting,"  G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons,  New  York  and  London. 
This  elaborate  work  contains  also  much  detailed  information,  valuable  sug- 

T 


Arms 

Pocket  Arms.  -  -  The  most  extensive  use  of  the 
revolver  as  a  pocket  weapon  is  for  police  service. 
Special  arms  are  manufactured  to  meet  the  require- 
ments. These  weapons  are  generally  similar  to 
the  military  revolvers,  but  adapted  for  lighter 
charges,  and  consequently  weigh  less.  All  pro- 
jections, such  as  sights,  hammer,  etc.,  must  be 
eliminated  or  minimized  so  as  not  to  catch  in 
drawing  the  arm  from  the  pocket  or  holster.  The 
barrels  are  from  3  to  5  in.  in  length,  the  trigger 
pull  4  lb.,  and  the  caliber  usually  .32  or  .38. 
Of  these  two  calibers,  .38  is  much  preferable  for 
the  general  purposes  of  an  arm  of  this  character. 
The  difference  in  weight  is  slight,  while  the  power 
and  effectiveness  of  the  larger  caliber  is  almost 
double  that  of  the  smaller. 

The  pocket  arms  shown  in  Figs.  16  and  17  are 
practically  miniatures  of  the  military  arms  shown 
in  Figs,  i  and  2.  They  have  solid  frames  and 
actions  identical  with  those  of  the  military  arms. 
They  are  made  only  in  .32  cal.,  and  are  double 
action. 

One  of  the  most  recent  pocket  revolvers  is  the 
Smith  &  Wesson  Safety  Hammerless.  This  arm 

gestions,  and  many  interesting  personal  experiences  in  relation  to  revolver 
shooting. 


32  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

has  a  safety  clutch  in  the  back  of  the  handle,  so 
designed  that  unless  the  piece  is  properly  held  it 
is  impossible  to  operate  it.  It  has  many  valuable 
and  desirable  features  to  commend  it  as  a  practical 
pocket  weapon.  The  standard  length  of  barrel  is 
4  in.  This  arm  is  also  furnished  in  .32  cal. 

With  4-in.  barrels,  the  foregoing  pocket  weapons 
are  capable  of  shooting  regularly  within  a  2-in. 
circle  at  12  yd. 

A  heavier  and  correspondingly  more  powerful 
pocket  revolver  is  the  Colt  "  Double  Action " 
revolver.  This  arm  is  chambered  for  the  Colt 
.41  cal.  short  and  long  cartridges.  It  has  a  solid 
frame,  and  is  operated  exactly  like  the  Colt  Fron- 
tier Model  (Fig.  5).  It  is  compact,  strong,  dura- 
ble, and  accurate. 

The  "  Single  Action  Army "  is  another  Colt 
revolver  that  has  been  extensively  used  as  a  belt 
or  holster  weapon.  The  mechanism  and  action 
are  similar  to  that  of  the  preceding  arm,  except 
that  it  is  heavier  and  larger,  and  is  single  action. 

A  very  handy  little  arm  to  carry  in  the  pocket 
on  hunting  and  fishing  trips  is  the  Stevens  Dia- 
mond Model  single-shot  pistol.  This  pistol  is 
very  accurate,  and  can  be  depended  on  to  kill 
grouse,  ducks,  rabbits,  and  other  small  game.  The 


FIG.  1 6.  —  Colt  New  Police  FIG.  17.  —  Smith  &  Wesson  Pocket 

Revolver.  Revolver. 

Six  shots;  4-inch  barrel;   weight,  Six  shots;   4.1-inch  barrel;   weight, 

1 8  oz.;   .32  cal.  i8J  oz.;  .32  cal. 


FIG.  18.— Smith  &  Wesson  Safety  FIG.  i8A.— Smith  &  Wesson  Pocket 

Hammerless  Revolver.  Revolver. 

Five  shots  ;  4-inch  barrel ;  weight,  Seven  shots  ;  3^-inch  barrel ;  weight, 

i  lb.,  ii  oz. ;  .38  cal.  10  oz.  ;  .22  cal. 


FIG.  19.  —  Stevens  Diamond  Model  Pistol. 
6-inch  barrel;   weight,  8|  oz.;   .22  cal. 


34  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

,22-cal.,  short,  hollow-pointed  bullet  should  be 
used,  or  the  regular  .22  short  cartridge,  with  the 
front  of  the  bullet  cut  off  square,  so  as  to  leave  a 
flat  point.  This  will  increase  the  killing  effect  of 
the  bullet  considerably. 

AMMUNITION 

The  degree  of  perfection  that  has  been  attained 
in  the  manufacture  of  ammunition  is  remarkable. 
Generally  speaking,  the  smaller  the  charge  the 
more  difficult  it  is  to  make  it  accurate.  Notwith- 
standing this,  we  have  in  the  .22-cal.  ammunition 
a  tiny  cartridge  the  accuracy  of  which  falls  little 
short  of  the  marvellous.  Until  very  recently,  black 
powder  ammunition  was  used  almost  exclusively 
for  pistol  and  revolver  shooting.  In  calibers 
larger  than  .22,  smokeless  powders  are  now  exten- 
sively used,  especially  in  military  shooting,  where 
the  regulation  full  charge  is  required.  In  the  .22- 
cal.  pistols,  the  fouling  of  the  black  powders  is  not 
a  very  serious  matter,  and  it  is  not  uncommon  to 
shoot  fifty  or  a  hundred  rounds  without  the  neces- 
sity of  cleaning.  In  the  larger  calibers,  however, 
the  fouling  is  frequently  so  excessive  that  it  affects 
the  accuracy  after  the  tenth  shot.  The  incessant 
cleaning  that  is  necessary  in  order  to  get  good 


Ammunition  35 

results  with  black  powder  ammunition  was  a 
great  drawback,  and  detracted  much  from  the 
pleasure  of  revolver  shooting.  Fortunately  this 
objection  is  now  entirely  eliminated  by  the  use  of 
smokeless  powders. 

To  give  good  results,  the  proportions  of  any 
given  charge  must  be  adapted  to  the  caliber, 
length  of  barrel,  and  weight  of  the  arm  in  which 
it  is  to  be  used.  These  proportions  are  generally 
determined  by  experiment.  The  accuracy  of  the 
cartridge  depends  largely  upon  the  uniformity 
exercised  in  the  loading.  In  ammunition  for  mili- 
tary service  the  shells  are  crimped  on  the  bul- 
lets to  hold  them  in  place.  This  is  not  desirable 
in  black  powder  target  ammunition,  but  is  nec- 
essary in  all  smokeless  ammunition  to  confine 
the  powder  and  produce  uniform  results. 

In  the  following  detailed  description  of  the 
cartridges  in  general  use  the  weight  of  the  black 
powder  charges  only  are  given. 

Rim-fire  Cartridges.  —  These  contain  fulmi- 
nate of  mercury  for  priming  around  the  outer 
edge  of  the  rim,  or  base  of  the  shell,  and  are  gen- 
erally loaded  with  black  powder. 

The  ".22-cal.  long  rifle"  cartridge  is  more 
extensively  used  for  pistol  shooting  than  any 


36  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

other.  It  is  the  most  accurate  of  the  .22-cal.  car- 
tridges, being  well  proportioned,  the  bullet  well 
lubricated,  and  the  shell  uncrimped. 

In  addition  to  this,  the  ammunition  is  inexpen- 
sive and  has  very  clean  shooting  qualities.  It 
is,  therefore,  particularly  well  adapted  for  pistol 


FIG.  20. —  Powder,  5  gr.;   bullet,  FIG.  21.  —  Powder,  3  gr.;  bullet, 

40  gr.;   exact  cal.,  0.223.       -  3°gr-;    exact  cal.,  0.223. 


shooting.  This  cartridge,  fired  from  a  loin,  bar- 
rel, will  shoot  regularly  inside  of  a  2-in.  circle,  at 
50  yd.,  and  inside  a  5 -in.  circle,  at  100  yd. 

Another  excellent  cartridge  in  this  caliber  is 
the  ".22  short."  Like  the  preceding,  this  car- 
tridge fouls  very  little  and  gives  almost  equal  ac- 
curacy up  to  50  yd.  On  account  of  its  lighter 
report  it  is  preferred  by  many  for  gallery  shooting. 
In  both  of  these  cartridges  only  the  surface  of  the 
bullet  outside  of  the  shell  is  lubricated.  Exposed 
in  this  way,  the  lubricant  is  easily  rubbed  off,  or 
melted  if  allowed  to  stand  in  the  sunlight  on  a 
warm  day.  Great  care  should  be  taken  to  prevent 
this,  as,  without  lubrication,  the  bullets  will  lead 
the  barrel  and  cause  inaccurate  shooting. 


Ammunition  37 

The  22-cal.  Winchester  is  a  cartridge  with  in- 
side lubrication.  It  is  more  powerful  than  the  .22 
long  rifle,  and  gives  good 
results  in  the  pistol.  The 
bullet  has  a  flat  point,  making  FIG.  22.— Powder,  7 gr.; 

••  ••     i  i         r  i  bullet.  41;  gr. :    exact    cal., 

it   suitable    for    game    shoot- 
ing, and  the  lubrication  being 
within  the  shell,  these  cartridges  may  be  carried 
loose  in  the  pocket. 

All  the  .22-cal.  cartridges  can  be  had  with  hol- 
low-pointed bullets,  which  are  to  be  preferred  for 
game-shooting.  They  are  also  furnished  loaded 
with  smokeless  powder.  When  this  powder  was 
first  used  in  .22-cal.  ammunition,  the  results  were 
far  from  satisfactory,  but  as  now  manufactured  the 
smokeless  ammunition  approximates  very  closely 
in  uniformity  and  accuracy  to  that  loaded  with 
black  powder.  The  .22-cal.  Long  Rifle  " Ar- 
mory "  and  the  .22-cal.  Smith  &  Wesson  Long 
are  special  makes  of  the  long  rifle  cartridge  that 
are  furnished  with  a  crimped  shell,  preventing 
the  bullet  from  becoming  dislodged  and  thus 
adapting  this  popular  cartridge  for  use  in 
revolvers  of  this  calibre. 

The  ,25-cal.  Stevens  is  a  much  more  powerful 
cartridge  than  any  of  the  preceding,  and  gives 


38  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

excellent  results  in  the  pistol.     It  is  selected  by 

those  who  wish  a  more  powerful  rim-fire  cartridge 

than  is  furnished  in  .22  cal. 

Rim-fire  cartridges  in  larger  caliber  than  .25 

are   used   for  derringers    (large-bore,    single-shot 

pocket-pistols  now  seldom 
used)  and  inferior  grades 

of  revolvers.     These  car- 
tic.  23.  —  Powder,  1 1  gr.;  bul- 
let, 67  gr.;  exact  cai.,  0.257.      tridges     sometimes     lack 

uniformity  in  caliber  when 

made  by  different  manufacturers,  are  frequently 
defective,  and  discharge  occasionally  in  closing 
the  action  of  the  arm  in  which  they  are  loaded. 
They  consequently  lack  the  safety,  reliability,  and 
accuracy  of  the  corresponding  calibers  in  central- 
fire  ammunition.  Rim-fire  cartridges  cannot  be 
reloaded. 

Central-fire  Cartridges.  —  This  type  of  cartridge 
has  a  brass  or  copper  primer  charged  with  a  small 
quantity  of  fulminate  of  mercury,  and  containing 
a  skeleton  anvil  of  brass.  The  primer  fits  water- 
tight in  a  socket  in  the  centre  of  the  base  of  the 
shell.  After  being  discharged,  the  primer  can 
be  renewed  and  the  shell  reloaded.  In  all  the 
central-fire  cartridges  the  lubrication  of  the  bullet 
is  inside  of  the  shell,  rendering  this  ammuni- 


Ammunition  39 

tion  much  more  serviceable  and  less  liable  to  be 
damaged. 

The  .32-cal.  S.  &  W.  cartridge  is  adapted  to  the 
Smith  &  Wesson,  Colt,  or  other  pocket  revolvers. 


FIG.  24.  —  Powder,  10  gr. ;   bullet,         FIG.  25.  —  Powder,  13  gr.;   bullet, 
88  gr. ;   exact  cal.,  0.313.  100  gr.;   exact  cal.,  0.313. 

Occasionally  single-shot  pistols  are  chambered  for 
this  cartridge.  It  is  fairly  accurate  at  ranges  up 
to  50  yd.  A  gallery  charge  is  furnished  in  this 
shell  consisting  of  4  gr.  of  powder  and  a  spherical 
or  "  round  "  bullet  weighing  47  gr. 

The  .32-cal.  S.  &  W.  Long  is  more  accurate 
and  powerful  than  the  preceding  cartridge.  It 
gives  excellent  results  in  both  the  pistol  and  re- 
volver. The  gallery  charge  is  the  same  as  that 
of  the  .32  S.  &  W. 

The  .32-cal.  Colt  New  Police  is  also  an  accu- 
rate cartridge,  and  was  designed  specially  for  the 
Colt  New  Police  revolver.  A  gallery  charge  is 
furnished  in  this  shell  con- 
sisting of  a  powder  charge 
reduced  to  7  2r.  and  the 

FIG.  26.  —  Powder,  13 gr.;  bul- 
regular  bullet.  let,  100  gr.;   exact  cal.,  0.313 


40 


The  Pistol  and  Revolver 


The  .32-44  S.  &  W.  is  a  special  target  cartridge 
designed  for  the  S.  &  W.  Russian  Model  revolver. 
The  bullet  is  seated  inside  of  the  shell,  which  is 
straight  and  uncrimped.  The  revolver  may  be 

chambered  to  take  shells  of 
either   of    the    two    lengths 
shown.     The  i7-gr.  shell  is 
FiG.27.-Powder,ngr.;bui-      nera]1      preferred,    as   the 

let,  83  gr.;   exact  cal.,  0.323. 

11-83   charge   may  also  be 
loaded   in  it   if  desired.     A 
gallery  charge,  consisting  of 
Powder,  17  gr.;  bullet,  98  gr.  4  gr.  of  powder  and  a  round 

bullet  weighing  50  gr.,  may 
also  be  used  in  both  shells. 
This  affords  a  wide  range 
of  charges  in  one  shell.  A 
special  feature  of  this  car- 
tridge is  that  the  same  sights  used  for  the 
gallery  Charge  at  12  yd.  are  suitable  for  the 
11-83  charge  at  50  yd.  The  full  charge  (17-98) 
in  the  long  shell  is  the  most  accurate  of  all  the 
black  powder  revolver  cartridges.  This  ammu- 
nition, shot  from  a  6^-in.  barrel,  is  capable  of 
making  ten-shot  groups  in  a  2-in.  circle  at  50  yd., 
and  a  5-in.  circle  at  100  yd.  The  1-1-83  charge, 
under  the  same  conditions,  will  also  shoot  in  a  2-in. 


50  gr. 


Ammunition  41 

circle  at  50  yd.  The  4-50  charge  will  shoot  in  a 
i -in.  circle  at  20  yd.  This  cartridge  also  gives 
good  results  in  single-shot  pistols. 

The  .38  S.  &  W.  is  adapted  to  the  Smith  & 
Wesson,  Colt,  and  other  pocket  revolvers.  It  is 
much  more  powerful  than  the 
.32  S.  &  W.,  and  is  conse- 
quently more  practical  and 

-,  i  i     r  i  FIG.  28.  —  Powder,  i  c  gr. ; 

better  adapted  for  a  pocket  bullet,  H6  gr..  exact  cal>> 
revolver  charge.  When  shot  °-358- 
from  a  4-in.  barrel,  groups  of  ten  shots  can  be 
made  in  a  2-in.  circle  at  20  yd.,  and  in  a  6-in. 
circle  at  50  yd.  The  gallery  charge  is  6  gr.  of 
powder  and  a  round  bullet  weighing  71  gr. 

These  two  cartridges  are  adapted  to  the  Colt 
and  S.  &  W.  Military  revolvers.     The  first  is  the 


FIG.  29. 

Powder,  18  gr. ;   bullet,  150  gr.  Powder.  21^  gr.;   bullet,  158  gr.; 

exact  cal.,  0.358. 

regulation  service  charge,  and  the  second  is  a 
more  powerful  special  cartridge,  and  exceedingly 
accurate.  From  a  6-in.  barrel  six  shots  may  be 
placed  within  a  6-in.  circle  at  100  yd.  Smokeless 


42  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

ammunition  in  this  caliber  gives  equally  good 
and  uniform  results ;  fifty  to  one  hundred  shots 
may  be  fired  without  cleaning  and  without  sensi- 
bly affecting  the  accuracy. 

The  .38-44  S.  &  W.  is  another  cartridge  de- 
signed for  the  S.  &.W.  Russian  Model  revolver. 


FiG.  30.  —  Powder,  20  gr. ;   bullet,       146  gr.     nogr.       100  gr.          72  gr, 
146  gr.;   exact  cal.,  0.360. 


It  is  more  powerful  than  the  .32-44,  but  on 
account  of  the  excessive  fouling  of  this  charge  as 
now  manufactured,  the  accuracy  is  impaired  after 
the  seventh  shot.  With  an  improved  cleaner- 
shooting  charge  it  would  be  accurate  and  ex- 
tremely popular  for  target-shooting.  This  car- 
tridge was  originally  designed  and  made  for 
Chevalier  Ira  Paine,  the  noted  pistol  shot.  Like 
the  .32-44,  the  shell  is  straight  and  uncrimped, 
and  the  bullet  is  seated  in  it  so  that  the  point  is 
flush  with  its  mouth.  Several  reduced  charges 
have  been  developed  for  this  shell.  The  Ideal 
Manufacturing  Company  can  furnish  moulds  for 
a  conical  bullet  with  a  square  base  weighing  no 


Ammunition  43 

gr.,  or  with  a  concave  base  weighing  100  gr.  The 
powder  charge  for  either  bullet  is  9  gr.  This 
charge  works  well  up  to  50  yd.  A  smaller  load 
is  the  regulation  gallery  charge  of  6  gn  of  powder 
and  a  round  bullet  weighing  72  gr. 

The  44-cal.  Russian1  was  until  recently  the 
most  popular  revolver  cartridge  for  target-shoot- 
ing. While  it  has  sufficient  power  to  make  it  an 
effective  charge  for  mili- 
tary service,  it  possesses, 
at  the  same  time,  remark- 
able accuracy.  In  the 

C      Q     \\r     o          •          i\/r    j    i     FIG.  31.  — Powder,  23  gr.;  bullet, 

S.  &  W.  Russian  Model,       246gr.;  exact  cai.,  0.429. 
or  the  Colt  New  Service 

revolver,  the  recoil  is  not  so  great  as  to  be  unpleas- 
ant, and  the  fouling  is  much  less  than  that  of  many 
smaller  charges.  The  fouling  of  the  full  charge 
load  with  black  powder  begins  to  "  cake "  or 
harden  in  the  barrel  after  the  twentieth  shot,  and, 
to  get  the  best  results,  the  barrel  should  be 
cleaned  after  every  ten  shots.  Nearly  all  the  great 
records  in  revolver  shooting  have  been  made 
with  this  ammunition,  and  most  of  the  important 
matches  have  been  won  with  it.  A  great  deal  of 

1  So  named  after  its  adoption  as  the  service  ammunition  of  the  Russian 
cavalry. 


44 


The  Pistol  and  Revolver 


experimental  work  has  been  done  with  this  car- 
tridge, and  many  reduced  charges  have  been 
evolved.  The  Ideal  Manufacturing  Company  can 
furnish  moulds  for  the  following  bullets :  — 


23  gr. 


FIG.  32. 


FIG.  33.  —  Powder,  40  gr. ;   bullet, 
250  gr.;   exact  cal.,  0.454. 


FIG.  34. 


The  weight  of  each,  with  the  corresponding 
powder  charge,  is  given.  These  various  loads 
adapt  this  shell  to  almost  any  conceivable  require- 


Ammunition 


45 


ments  in  revolver  shooting.  The  accuracy  of  the 
various  charges  fired  from  a  6^-in.  barrel  is  as 
follows :  — 


DIAMETER  OF  CIRCLE  ENCLOSING  GROUP  OF  10  SHOTS 

CHARGE 

20  yds. 

30  yds. 

50  yds. 

ioo  yds. 

200  yds. 

23-246 

I     in. 

IB  in. 

2\  in. 

6  in. 

15  in. 

7-110 

I     in. 

2    in. 

7-130 

i\  in. 

i\  in. 

12-160 

2    in. 

3    in. 

12-175 

2\  in. 

7-120 

i]  in. 

2.J-  in. 

15-205 

2    in. 

3    m. 

7  in. 

10-175 

i\  in. 

Revolvers  are  sometimes  chambered  for  the 
.44-40-200,  the  .38-40-180,  and  the  .32-20-115 
rifle  cartridges.  These  charges  are  not  as  accu- 
rate as  the  .44  Russian,  but  can  be  relied  on  to 
shoot  inside  a  5-in.  circle  at  50  yd.  These  car- 
tridges are  desirable  only  when  it  is  an  advantage 
to  use  the  same  ammunition  in  the  rifle  and 
revolver,  or  in  certain  localities  where  only  a  few 
varieties  of  ammunition  are  to  be  had.  The  large 
powder  charge  makes  the  recoil  of  the  first  two 
cartridges  named  rather  unpleasant.  The  32-20 


46  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

-115  is  the  most  accurate  of  these  cartridges,  and 
gives  the  best  results  in  the  pistol  or  revolver. 
All  these  cartridges  having  flat-pointed  bullets 
are  well  adapted  for  game  shooting.  There  are 
no  gallery  loads  for  these  cartridges. 

The  .45  Colt  Army  is  the  most  powerful  of  all 
the  revolver  cartridges.  It  was  formerly  the 
United  States  army  service  ammunition.  The 
charge  was  so  heavy,  and  the  recoil  so  excessive, 
that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  shoot  it  without 
flinching.  The  service  charge  was  afterward 
modified  to  28  gr.  of  powder,  which  made  it  much 
more  desirable  and  serviceable.  With  the  latter 
charge  this  cartridge  is  very  similar  to  the  45-30 
-250  Scofield  Model  S.  &  W.  cartridge.  Both 
of  these  are  sufficiently  powerful,  accurate,  and 
clean-shooting  to  render  them  suitable  for  military 
service.  The  gallery  load  for  the  45  Colt  is  7  gr. 
of  powder  and  a  round  bullet  weighing  1 39  gr. 

The  caliber  of  the  service  ammunition  for  the 
revolver  of  the  British  army  is  455.  This  is  a 
very  accurate  cartridge,  but  not  as  powerful  as  the 
corresponding  military  cartridges  as  used  in  this 
country.  A  special  cylindrical  bullet  with  a  deep 
convex  hollow  point  is  furnished  in  the  same  shell 
and  is  known  as  the  "  man  stopper." 


Ammunition  47 

This  form  of  bullet  is  used  in  the  .450  and  .38 
cal.  cartridges  also.  The  .450-13-225  is  another 
English  cartridge  that  is  accurate,  and  pleasant  to 
shoot.  It  is  used  largely  at  Bisley  in  the  annual 
revolver  competitions  of  the  National  Rifle  As- 
sociation of  Great  Britain. 

In  order  to  avoid  excessive  fouling,  a  self- 
lubricating  bullet  has  been  invented  and  intro- 
duced by  Smith  &  Wesson,  which  can  be  furnished 


.  35.  —  Self-lubricating  Section  showing  details  of 

cartridge.  construction. 


in  all  calibers  above  .32.  The  bullet  has  a  hollow 
core  open  in  the  rear.  Lubricant  is  filled  into 
the  core,  after  which  it  is  closed  with  a  lead 
plunger.  Four  small  ducts  communicate  from  the 
forward  end  of  the  core  to  the  exterior  of  the 
bullet  just  ahead  of  its  bearing  on  the  barrel.  At 
the  moment  of  discharge  the  plunger  is  driven 
forward,  forcing  the  lubricant  through  the  ducts 
into  the  barrel  ahead  of  the  bullet. 

This  bullet  has  given  excellent  results.     With 
it  a  hundred  or  more  shots  may  be  fired  with 


48  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

black  powder  ammunition  without  causing  suf- 
ficient fouling  to  impair  the  accuracy. 

Nearly  all  the  cartridges  that  have  been  re- 
ferred to  were  originally  designed  for  black 
powder.  The  various  manufacturers  can  nowr 
supply  them  loaded  with  smokeless  powder  at  a 
very  slight  advance  in  price.  The  cartridges 
are  loaded  so  as  to  give  approximately  the  same 
velocity  as  black  powder. 

The  accuracy  and  uniformity  with  smokeless 
powder  was  not  at  first  equal  to  that  of  the 
black,  but  with  a  better  knowledge  of  the  action 
and  behavior  of  smokeless  powders,  these  diffi- 
culties have  been  overcome  and  the  smokeless 
ammunition  now  gives  not  only  superior  accuracy 
and  reliability,  but  also  causes  much  less  fouling 
and  smoke  and  has  a  lighter  report.  In  "  gal- 
lery" ammunition  light  conical  bullets  have 
entirely  superseded  spherical  bullets,  and  smoke- 
less powder  is  almost  invariably  used. 

The  following  table  gives  the  muzzle  velo- 
cities, etc.,  of  the  principal  factory-loaded, 
smokeless  pistol  and  revolver  cartridges.  The 
factories  aim  to  keep  the  muzzle  velocities 
uniform  for  each  cartridge.  To  produce  this 
result  with  the  various  brands  of  smokeless 


Ammunition 


49 


powder,  all  of  which  differ  more  or  less  in 
strength,  the  weight  of  the  powder  charge 
necessarily  varies.  Even  when  purchased  in 
large  quantities,  different  blends  and  packages 
of  the  same  brand  of  powder  occasionally  vary 

MUZZLE   VELOCITIES,    PENETRATION,    ETC.,    OF 

FACTORY-LOADED   SMOKELESS    PISTOL   AND 

REVOLVER   CARTRIDGES 


CASE  OR  SHELL. 

Weight  of 
Bullet,  Grains. 

•£"£ 

II 

Average  Muz- 
zle Velocity. 

Average  i  Wy2 
Muzzle  >  — 
Energy  )  2S 

Penetration  i  n 
%  in.  pine 
boards. 

.22  Long  Rifle  (Rim  Fire)  
30  Lu^er  Automatic    

40 

cn 

28' 

4* 

9^3 

11  34 

86 
266 

5 
10 

30  Mauser         "         

yj 
8c 

5' 

1308 

322 

12 

32  Colt                     " 

71 

4 

IOIO 

161 

6 

32  Smith  &  \Vesson            .... 

88 

10 

GO  2 

150 

4 

«2      "       "         "      Lonsr 

08 

6 

704 

137 

4 

32  Short  Colt           

7 
80 

6 

768 

105 

3 

32  Lonsr     "   . 

81 

6 

847 

129 

4 

3^  Colt  New  Police  

IOO 

4 

790 

139 

3" 

38  Smith  &  Wesson                 .  . 

14.6 

4 

798 

217 

5 

.38      "      "          "      Special... 
38  Colt  New  Police       

158 

I  ^O 

6j 

4 

885 

722 

275 
170 

8 

5 

38  Short  Colt  

125 

6 

651 

117 

3 

.38  Loner     " 

148 

6 

786 

203 

4i 

.38  Colt  Automatic  

130 

6 

1070 

336 

9 

.41  Short  Colt     

163 

6 

693 

174 

5 

.41  Long;      "  .                    

195 

6 

729 

230 

5 

.44  Smith  &  Wesson  Russian  .  . 
.45  Colt...    

246 
250 

10 

7k 

831 
776 

377 
334 

6 

5 

45  Colt  Automatic       

2OO 

5 

816 

2Q6 

6 

The  Pistol  and  Revolver 


somewhat  in  strength.  For  these  reasons  it  is 
impracticable  to  designate  the  exact  weight  or 
volume  of  any  brand  of  powder  which  will  in  all 
cases  produce  the  muzzle  velocities  referred  to 
in  the  table. 

The  following  additional  smokeless  charges 
have  been  developed  by  some  of  the  expert 
revolver  shots  and  will  give  excellent  results. 
Loads  No.  6  and  10  are  recommended  for  gal- 
lery and  2O-yd.  shooting  only ;  the  rest  will  give 
good  results  at  50  yd.  No.  i  and  5  are  hunt- 
ing charges : 

ADDITIONAL    SMOKELESS    POWDER   CHARGES 


g 

3 

o 

"3 

i 

%  m 

c 

&  . 

.a 

Case  or  shell. 

*o 

o  rt 

I| 

Jc 

Brand  of  Smokeless  Powder. 

*o  *• 
°  M 

t> 

,£  k* 

X2  rt 

u   Z 

"S.S 

6 

M 

3 

1 

6 

2 

PH 

a 

.32  S.  &  W.  Hand  Ej. 

•  3*3 

118 

Tg 

to  30 

Hazard  No.  2  Rifle  

6.0 

.38       "                   "     . 

•  360 

130 

360271 

to  30 

du  Pont  &  Co.'s  Bull's-eye.. 

2.3 

.38  S.  &W.  Special     . 

.360 

114 

36072 

to  30 

2.4 

.38 

.360 

130 

360271 

to  30 

2.3 

•38 

.360 

J50 

360271 

tO  20 

3-8 

.44  S.  & 

W.  Russia 

n    . 

•431 

no 

U.M,C, 

to  30 

2-3 

•44 

•431 

1  60 

429106 

to  30 

2-5 

•44 

•431 

175 

429220 

to  30 

2.5 

•44 

•431 

205 

429215 

to  30 

3-0 

•45  Col 

t..  

•457 

144 

457130 

to  30 

Shot-gun.. 

8.0 

In  all  the  above  charges  the  shells  have  a  medium  crimp  on  the  middle  of  the 
front  band  of  the  bullet. 

With  the  introduction  of  the  magazine  pistol, 


Ammunition 


special  smokeless  cartridges  have  been  devised 
that  are  rimless  and  have  a  crease  around  the 
base  of  the  shell  by  which  they  may  be  held  and 
manipulated  by  the  mech- 
anism. This  ammunition 
is  furnished  loaded  with 
full  mantled  and  "soft 
nose"  bullets,  the  latter 
for  hunting  purposes. 

When  fired  from  the 
regulation  arms,  this  am- 
munition is  capable  of 
placing  ten  shots  inside  a 
3-inch  circle  at  50  yd.,  and 
inside  a  7-inch  circle  at  100 
yd.  These  cartridges  are 
exceedingly  clean-shooting.  Several  hundred 
rounds  may  be  fired  without  causing  more  foul- 
ing than  is.  apparent  after  the  first  few  shots. 
The  full  mantled  or  metal  cased  bullet  ammuni- 
tion has  been  adopted  for  military  and  naval 
service  by  a  number  of  foreign  countries.  Elab- 
orate tests  of  ammunition  loaded  with  such 
bullets  have  also  been  made  in  this  country. 

The  metal  cased  bullet  has  undoubted  advan- 
tages   in    rifle   ammunition,   in    which   low    tra- 


//AUTOMATIC 


Powder,  8  gr.  (smokeless) ;  bul- 
let, 105  gr.;  exact  cal.,  0.358. 


Powder,  5£gr.  (smokeless);  bul- 
let>  93  gr-'>  exact  cal.,  .3016. 


jjjSlf 


Powder,  yjgr.  (smokeless)  ;  bul- 
let, 85  gr.;   exact  cal.,  .3008. 
FIG.  36. 


52  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

jectory  and  extreme  long  range  are  desiderata 
that  can  be  obtained  only  by  high  velocities. 
In  ammunition  for  magazine  pistols  and  re- 
volvers, however,  the  prime  object  is  to  deliver 
the  most  effective  blow  possible  at  comparatively 
short  range. 

The  velocities  attainable  in  large  calibres 
within  the  permissible  weight  of  an  automatic 
pistol  are  comparatively  low.  The  deformation 
of  any  bullet  on  striking  animal  tissue  is  in 
direct  proportion  to  its  velocity.  It  is,  there- 
fore, extremely  doubtful  that  a  metal  cased 
bullet  will  ever  prove  as  effective  and  satis- 
factory in  "  stopping  power"  and  for  military 
service,  either  in  the  automatic  pistol  or  the 
revolver,  as  the  large  calibre  lead  bullet. 

The  metal  cased  bullet  ammunition  for  the 
automatic  pistols  now  on  trial  in  the  U.  S.  Army 
is  of  .38-cal.  and  .45  cal.  The  .38-cal.  arms  and 
ammunition  were  issued  in  1903,  and  the  .45-cal. 
in  1907.  In  the  latter  the  metal  cased  bullet 
weighs  250  grains.  As  neither  of  these  charges 
have  the  muzzle  energy  or  stopping  power  of 
the  .44-cal.  Smith  &  Wesson  Russian,  or  the 
. 45-cal.  Colt,  it  is  not  probable  that  either  will 
be  adopted. 


Sights  53 

SIGHTS 

The  purpose  of  sights  is  to  assist  in  aiming. 
The  national  organizations  allow  only  "  open " 
sights  in  pistol  and  revolver  shooting.  "  Peep  " 
or  "  aperture  "  sights  are  barred.  The  rear  sight 
usually  consists  of  a  notch  shaped  like  a  V  or  a 
U,  the  notch  being  as  wide  on  top  as  at  any  part. 


Side  view.  End  view.      Side  view.     End  view. 

Front  Sights. 


Rear  sight.  Appearance  when  aiming. 

Military  Sights. 
FIG.  37. 

The  front  sight  is  a  piece  of  thin  metal  set  on 
edge.  Sometimes  the  latter  has  a  special  shape 
or  section  resembling  a  pinhead  when  looking 
at  it  from  the  breech,  as  in  aiming.  Military 
sights  usually  consist  of  a  plain  notch  in  the  top 
of  the  frame  for  the  rear  sight  and  a  tapering 
front  sight  fixed  to  the  barrel  near  the  muzzle. 


54 


The  Pistol~and  Revolver 


Target  sights  are  made  in  endless  variety  to 
suit  individual  ideas.  The  sights  most  generally 
used  for  target-shooting  are  the  "  Paine  "  sights, 
named  after  Chevalier  Ira  Paine,  who  invented 


Rear  sight. 


Side  view.  End  view. 

Front  sight. 
"  Paine  "  Sights. 
FIG.  38. 


Appearance 
when  aiming. 


arid  was  the  first  to  use  them.  The  rear  sight 
is  a  flat  bar  with  a  semicircular  notch,  and  the 
front  sight  is  a  "  bead  "  sight ;  that  is,  a  sight  that 
resembles  a  pinhead  when  aiming. 

Another  sight  that  many  of  the  best  shots  are 
using  is  the  u  Patridge  "  sight,  developed  by  Mr. 


Side  view.  End  view. 

Rear  sight.  Front  sight. 

Patridge  Sights. 
FIG.  39. 


Appearance 
when  aiming. 


E.  E.  Patridge  of  Boston,  Mass.  The  rear  sight 
has  a  wide  rectangular  notch ;  the  front  sight  is 
plain  with  a  square  top,  as  shown. 


Position  55 

These  sights  have  been  referred  to  in  the  order 
in  which  they  are  most  used.  It  is  generally 
necessary  for  individuals  to  try  various  sights 
before  they  are  able  to  select  intelligently.  In 
target  arms  different-shaped  sights  may  be  used 
in  the  same  base  or  fitting,  so  that  it  is  a  com- 
paratively easy  matter  to  try  any  or  all  of  these 
sights  on  the  same  arm. 

The  notch  of  the  rear  sight  should  have  a 
bevelled  edge  concave  toward  the  front.  This 
will  secure  sharpness  of  outline  in  any  light. 
The  front  sight  should  also  be  distinct  and  is 
found  to  be  most  satisfactory  when  the  side 
toward  the  eye  is  a  surface  at  right  angles  to  the 
line  of  sight. 

POSITION 

The  position  in  pistol  and  revolver  shooting  is 
very  important.  In  firing  a  long  series  of  shots, 
a  man  with  an  easy,  natural  position  will  suffer 
much  less  fatigue,  and  will  have  a  decided  advan- 
tage over  another  whose  position  is  straining  and 
uncomfortable.  Formerly  the  approved  position 
was  to  stand  with  the  right  side  toward  the  target. 
This  required  the  head  to  be  turned  ninety  de- 
grees from  its  natural  position,  and  was  very 


56  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

uncomfortable.  Undoubtedly  this  position  is  a 
relic  of  duelling  days,  when  it  might  have  been 
argued  that  a  smaller  mark  was  offered  to  the 
antagonist. 

The  positions  adopted  by  the  leading  shots  vary 
considerably.  Most  of  them  face  a  trifle  to  the 
left  of  the  target,  with  the  right  foot  6  or  8 
inches  ahead  of  the  left,  and  pointing  directly 
toward  the  target,  the  weight  of  the  body  sup- 
ported equally  by  both  legs  and  perfectly  balanced. 
Others  shoot  with  the  feet  close  together;  some 
with  one  or  both  eyes  open,  and  with  the  arm 
partly  or  fully  extended.  The  question  of  posi- 
tion depends  largely  upon  the  physique  and  com- 
fort of  the  individual. 

Mr.  Winans'  position  is  an  exceedingly  strong 
one.  His  poise  is  very  good,  and  he  stands 
firmly  on  both  feet.  The  left  arm  falls  straight 
down  along  the  left  side  of  the  body.  This 
affords  rigidity  when  desired,  and  imparts  action 
to  the  figure. 

Mr.  Axtell  has  a  stanch,  natural  position. 
Like  Mr.  Winans,  he  shoots  with  the  right  arm 
fully  extended,  and  he  holds  the  weapon  in  the 
correct  and  most  approved  manner. 

The  position  of  Mr,  Anderton  is  excellent.     He 


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Target  Shooting  61 

enjoys  perfect  health,  and  has  his  large  muscular 
development  well  under  control.  His  position  is 
strong,  natural,  and  comfortable.  Another  good 
position  is  that  of  Mr.  Richmond.  He  is  not  as 
well  poised  as  Mr.  Anderton,  but  his  position  is 
graceful  and  businesslike. 

The  positions  of  Mr.  Patridge  and  Sergeant 
Petty  are  characteristic  and  typical  of  persons  of 
entirely  different  physique. 

Mr.  Gorman  and  Dr.  Sayre  are  men  of  very 
similar  physique.  Their  positions,  which  resemble 
each  other  closely,  are  firm,  easy,  and  natural. 

TARGET-SHOOTING 

In  the  development  of  firearms  and  ammuni- 
tion, target-shooting  has  always  occupied  an  im- 
portant place.  It  is  regularly  and  systematically 
practised  in  the  army  and  navy,  in  order  to  main- 
tain and  improve  the  proficiency  of  the  men  as 
marksmen.  Target-shooting,  with  many  different 
styles  of  firearms,  under  prescribed  rules  and 
regulations,  has  also  become  extremely  popular 
with  civilians. 

A  target  is  a  mark  or  object  of  suitable  form 
and  color  designed  to  be  fired  at.  It  usually 
consists  of  a  frame  covered  with  canvas  or  paper, 


62  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

presenting  a  white  surface  with  a  prominent  spot 
or  bull's-eye  in  the  centre.  Concentric  circles 
around  the  centre  divide  the  target  into  zones 
which  are  assigned  values,  decreasing  from  the 
centre  outward.  On  a  regularly  equipped  range 
the  targets  are  movable  frames,  so  arranged  that 
they  may  be  raised  to  the  firing  position  and  then 
lowered  into  a  pit,  where  the  marker  can  safely 
examine  the  target,  mark  the  shot  accurately,  and 
cover  the  shot-hole  with  a  paster.  The  sum  of 
the  values  of  a  limited  series  of  consecutive  shots, 
as  5,  7,  10,  20,  50,  etc.,  constitutes  a  score. 

Target-shooting  was  indulged  in  extensively 
with  the  rifle  many  years  before  it  became  popular 
with  the  pistol  and  revolver.  The  shorter  barrel, 
and  the  greater  difficulty  in  acquiring  skill  with 
the  latter  weapons,  were  doubtless  responsible  for 
the  mistaken  idea  long  prevalent  that  these  arms 
were  extremely  inaccurate.  When,  however,  a 
few  individuals  developed  sufficient  skill  to  obtain 
fine  shooting,  their  performances  were  considered 
phenomenal.  Among  the  first  to  obtain  a  high 
order  of  skill  with  the  muzzle-loading  pistol  in 
the  United  States  was  Captain  John  Travers  of 
Missouri.  He  was  well  known  as  an  expert: 
pistol  shot  as  early  as  1860.  In  that  year  Cap- 


Target  Shooting  63 

tain  Travers  shot  an  interesting  individual  match 
in  St.  Louis  at  a  distance  of  100  feet.  Fifteen 
china  plates,  nine  inches  in  diameter,  were  used 
as  targets.  Captain  Travers  broke  1 1  out  of  the 
15,  while  his  opponent  broke 'but  9. 

In  1865  Colonel  William  F.  Cody  (Buffalo  Bill) 
and  Captain  William  P.  Schaaf  of  St.  Louis 
became  prominent  as  pistol  shots.  The  latter 
subsequently  joined  Captain  Travers  in  a  three 
years'  tour  of  the  United  States,  giving  exhibitions 
in  nearly  all  the  large  cities. 

About  1880  Ira  Anson  Paine,  a  native  of 
Massachusetts,  attracted  attention  by  his  fine 
marksmanship  with  the  pistol.  In  1881  he  went 
abroad,  and  for  a  number  of  years  he  travelled 
over  the  principal  countries  of  Europe,  giving 
public  exhibitions  of  his  skill  with  the  pistol  and 
revolver.  While  in  Portugal  in  1882  he  was 
knighted  by  the  king  in  the  presence  of  a  notable 
assemblage,  and  made  a  chevalier  of  an  ancient 
military  order.  In  his  exhibitions  Chevalier  Paine 
used  a  Stevens  Lord  Model  pistol  and  a  Smith  & 
Wesson  revolver.  His  skill  with  these  arms  was 
so  far  in  advance  of  his  contemporaries  that  he 
was  popularly  supposed  to  accomplish  many  of 
his  feats  by  trickery. 


64  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

Target-shooting  with  the  pistol  and  revolver, 
as  a  sport,  may  be  said  to  have  originated  at  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  National  Rifle  Association 
at  Creedmoor  in  1886.  During  that  meeting  a 
revolver  match  was  scheduled  to  be  shot  at  25 
yd.  on  the  2OO-yd.  Standard  American  Rifle 
Target.  It  was  a  reentry  match,  with  the  three 
best  scores  of  five  shots  each  of  any  contestant 
to  count.  In  this  match  three  scores  of  48  out 
of  50  were  made,  the  highest  individual  aggregate 
of  three  scores  being  143  out  of  a  possible  150. 

The  same  year  a  similar  match  was  announced 
at  the  fall  meeting  of  the  Massachusetts  Rifle 
Association  at  Walnut  Hill.  Chevalier  Paine 
was  a  competitor  in  this  match,  and  made  50-49- 
49  =  148  in  six  entries.  The  next  best  three 
scores  equalled  142. 

These  matches  proved  so  interesting  and  suc- 
cessful that  target-shooting  with  the  pistol  and 
revolver  became  instantly  popular  all  over  the 
country.  It  was  soon  found  that  the  arms  pos- 
sessed remarkable  accuracy,  and  as  the  skill  of 
the  shooters  improved  the  distance  was  increased 
to  50  yd.,  retaining  the  same  target. 

Mr.  A.  C.  Gould,  editor  of  The  Rifle,  and 
Shooting  and  Fishing,  was  the  first  to  recognize 


Target  Shooting  65 

the  possibilities  of  the  pistol  and  revolver,  and 
became  greatly  interested  in  the  performances 
with  these  arms.  He  assisted  and  encouraged 
the  shooters,  witnessed  their  work,  and  made 
careful  and  elaborate  records  of  all  the  important 
scores  that  were  made  in  the  United  States  from 
1886  to  igoo.1  It  was  at  his  suggestion  that 
Chevalier  Paine  essayed  to  fire  the  first  loo-shot 
score  at  50  yd.  on  the  Standard  American  Target, 
scoring  791  points.  This  shooting  was  done  with 
a  finely  sighted  .44  cal.  Smith  &  Wesson  Russian 
Model  Revolver,  regulation  full  charge  ammuni- 
tion, and  a  2^  Ib.  trigger  pull.  A  keen  rivalry  for 
the  loo-shot  record  soon  sprang  up,  resulting  as 
follows :  — 

Oct.    15,  1886,  Chevalier  Ira  Paine  at  Walnut  Hill  .  .  791 

March  7,  1887,  Chevalier  Ira  Paine  i           i           '  .  .  841 

Nov.     4,  1887,  F.  E.  Bennett  <  .  .  857 

Nov.    14,  1887,  F.  E.  Bennett  '  .  .  877 

Dec.     5,  1887,  F.  E.  Bennett  <  .  .  886 

Dec.    17,  1887,  Chevalier  Ira  Paine  4  .  .  888 

Dec.    22,  1887,  Chevalier  Ira  Paine  '  .  .  904 

Dec.    23,  1887,  W.  W.  Bennett  k  .  .  914 

This  rivalry  led  to  a  long  newspaper  contro- 
versy, and  culminated  in  the  famous  Paine- 
Bennett  revolver  match.  The  conditions  were 


1  See  The  Modern  American  Pistol  and  Revolver,  by  A.  C.  Gould. 
Bradlee  Whidden,  Publisher,  Boston,  Mass. 


66  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

as  follows:  Stakes,  $1000.00;  100  shots  per  day 
for  six  consecutive  days ;  Smith  &  Wesson  Rus- 
sian Model  Revolvers,  .44  cal. ;  factory-loaded  full 
charge  ammunition  ;  trigger  pull,  3  Ib. ;  Standard 
American  Target  with  8-in.  bull's-eye ;  distance, 
50  yd.  On  the  fifth  day  of  the  match,  and  while 
9  points  in  the  lead,  Chevalier  Paine  entered  a 
protest  and  withdrew.  Mr.  F.  E.  Bennett  con- 
tinued shooting,  as  stipulated  in  the  match,  scor- 
ing 5093  points  for  the  total  of  the  six  days.  The 
protest  was  referred  to  the  National  Rifle  Asso- 
ciation, which  decided  in  favor  of  Mr.  Bennett, 
awarding  him  the  match  'and  the  championship 
of  America. 

In  practising  for  this  match  Mr.  F.  E.  Bennett, 
under  the  same  conditions,  made  a  score  of  915. 
This  record  wras  not  excelled  until  June  i,  1901, 
when  C.  S.  Richmond  of  Savannah,  Georgia, 
scored  918  points  under  substantially  the  same 
conditions. 

During  the  summer  of  1890  Mr.  William  E. 
Carlin,  assisted  by  Mr.  Hubert  Reynolds,  made  a 
very  elaborate  series  of  tests  with  the  revolver 
and  various  kinds  of  ammunition.  The  shooting 
was  done  with  a  telescopic  sight,  and  from  a  sand- 
bag rest.  The  results  obtained  were  remarkable, 


Target  Shooting  67 

and  added  materially  to  the  definite  information 
then  available  as  to  the  capabilities  of  the  revolver, 
the  relative  accuracy  of  different  charges,  etc. 

A  very  interesting  revolver  match  for  a  trophy 
offered  by  Mr.  Walter  Winans  took  place  in  1892. 
Mr.  Winans  is  a  noted  American  revolver  shot, 
residing  in  England,  and  the  trophy  —  an  Ameri- 
can cowboy  executed  admirably  in  bronze  —  was 
modelled  by  him.  The  match  was  conducted  by 
Forest  and  Stream.  The  trophy  was  won,  after 
a  spirited  competition,  by  Dr.  Louis  Bell.  Under 
the  conditions  of  the  match,  the  winner  was  to 
defend  his  title  two  years  before  the  trophy 
became  his  property.  The  trophy  was  won  suc- 
cessively by  George  E.  Jantzer  and  Sergeant  W. 
E.  Petty.  Sergeant  Petty  defended  the  trophy 
successfully  for  two  years,  and  now  holds  it 
permanently. 

The  "  best  on  record  "  performances  with  the 
single-shot  pistol,  on  the  Standard  American 
Target,  at  50  yd.,  are  as  follows:  — 

100  shots : 

Sept.  22,  1888,  F.  E.  Bennett,  Walnut  Hill,  Mass.  .  906 

Nov.  10,  1888,  F.  E.  Bennett,         "          "         "  .  934 

Sept.  10,  1890,  F.  E.  Bennett,        "         "         "  .  936 

Feb.  25,  1900,  J.  E.  Gorman,  San  Francisco,  Cal.  .  939 

May   26,  1901,  J.  E.  Gorman,     "             "           "  .  942 

March  i,  1902,  E.  E.  Patridge,  Walnut  Hill,  Mass.  .  942 


68  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

50  shots : 

Nov.  10,  1888,  F.  E.  Bennett,  Walnut  Hill,  Mass.  .  470 

Feb.   ii?  1900,  J.  E.  Gorman,  San  Francisco,  Cal.  .  471 

May   20,  1901,  J.  E.  Gorman,     "  "  "  .  474 

Dec.     7,  1901,  T.  Anderton,  Walnut  Hill,  Mass.   .  .  476 

April    4,  1903,  T.  Anderton,         "         u         "        .  .  480 

A  record,  or  "  best  on  record,"  is  the  highest 
recognized  score  of  any  given  number  of  shots 
fired  under  certain  standard  conditions,  and  with 
an  arm  complying  with  certain  established  rules. 
The  records  of  pistol  and  revolver  shooting  in  the 
United  States  were  carefully  established  and  com- 
piled by  Shooting  and  Fishing  until  the  year 
1900,  when  the  records  were  intrusted  to  the 
United  States  Revolver  Association.  This  asso- 
ciation, with  the  support  and  cooperation  of  all 
the  leading  shots  of  the  country,  formulated  rules 
and  regulations  to  govern  pistol  and  revolver 
shooting,  and  inaugurated  the  annual  champion- 
ship matches.  These  are  shot  simultaneously  in 
different  parts  of  the  United  States,  thus  giving 
everybody  an  opportunity  to  enter  the  compe- 
titions. 

The  influence  of  the  association  on  pistol 
and  revolver  shooting  has  been  very  beneficial. 
It  has  established  uniformity  in  arms,  rules,  etc., 
and  has  encouraged  and  conducted  many  friendly 


Target  Shooting  69 

matches  between  clubs,  thus  bringing  the  shots  in 
different  parts  of  the  country  in  closer  touch  with 
each  other.  This  association  also  negotiated  and 
conducted  the  first  international  revolver  match 
between  France  and  the  United  States,  which 
took  place  in  June,  1900.  This  match  attracted 
world-wide  attention,  and  was  won  by  the  United 
States.  The  conditions  of  the  match  were  as 
follows :  Ten  men  on  a  side ;  the  Americans  to 
shoot  at  Greenville,  N.  J.,  and  the  Frenchmen 
in  Paris.  Results  to  be  cabled.  Each  side  to 
appoint  an  umpire  to  witness  the  shooting  of  the 
opposing  side.  Each  man  to  shoot  30  shots  on 
the  French  target  at  16  metres  and  30  shots  on 
the  Standard  American  target  at  50  yd.  Possible, 
6000.  Total  scores :  Americans,  4889 ;  French, 
4828. 

A  second  international  revolver  match  between 
France  and  the  United  States  was  arranged  in 
1903.  The  conditions  were  briefly  as  follows: 
Fifteen  men  on  a  side.  Each  man  to  shoot  60 
shots  in  10  strings  of  6  shots  each  on  the  Stand- 
ard American  Target  at  50  yd.  Each  side  to 
appoint  two  umpires  to  witness  the  shooting  of 
their  opponents.  Results  to  be  cabled. 

The   American   marksmen   assembled   at  the 


70  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

Walnut  Hill  range  of  the  Massachusetts  Rifle 
Association,  near  Boston,  devoting  three  days 
to  preliminary  practice  shooting  and  selecting 
the  team.  It  was  originally  agreed  upon  that 
the  match  was  to  take  place  on  June  3Oth,  and 
the  American  team  shot  their  scores  on  that 
day.  Owing  to  delays  in  transportation,  the 
targets  intended  for  the  French  team  did  not 
reach  them  promptly  and  their  side  of  the  match 
was  shot  several  days  later.  The  members  con- 
stituting the  teams  and  their  respective  scores 
are  as  follows  : 

AMERICAN    TEAM. 

0.  I.  Olson,  Duluth,  Minn 554 

B.  F.  Wilder,  New  York,  N.  Y 543 

R.  S.  Hale,  Boston,  Mass 540 

J.  A.  Dietz,  Jr.,  New  York,  N.  Y 534 

W.  A.  Smith,  Springfield,  Mass 532 

C.  S.  Axtell,  Springfield,  Mass 530 

Louis  Bell,  Boston,  Mass 527 

T.  Anderton,  Boston,  Mass 523 

J.  B.  Crabtree,  Springfield,  Mass 519 

1.  R.  Calkins,  Springfield,  Mass 519 

E.  E.  Patridge,  Boston,  Mass 517 

R.  H.  Sayre,  New  York,  N.  Y.  (Score  shot  in  Paris).  515 

J.  T.  Humphrey,  Boston,  Mass 513 

W.  S.  Amory,  2cl,  Boston,  Mass 512 

C.  L.  Bouve,  Boston,  Mass 511 


Team  total 7,889 


Target  Shooting  71 

FRENCH  TEAM. 

Comte  cle  Castelbajac,  Libourne 547 

Commandant  Py,  Saint  Omer 542 

M.  Dutfoy,  Marseilles 541 

Captain  Moreaux,  Rennes 529 

M.  Moline-Paget,  Dieppe 526 

Captain  Chauchat,  Versailles 524 

M.  Keller-Dorian,  Lyons 522 

M.  Feugray,  Paris 509 

M.  Despassio,  Lyons 503 

M.  Lecocq,  Paris 502 

M.  Caurette,  Ham 502 

M.  Louvier,  Paris 496 

M.  Balme,  Paris 469 

Adjutant  Paroche,  Rennes 466 

M.  Sartori,  Paris 462 

Team  total 7,640 

Americans  led  by 249 

A  careful  analysis  of  the  scores  shows  that 
the  Americans  shot  much  more  evenly  than  the 
Frenchmen,  and  that  the  skill  of  the  three  high 
men  on  both  teams  was  approximately  equal. 

In  order  to  become  familiar  with  the  arms  and 
develop  skill  in  shooting,  careful  and  systematic 
practice  is  necessary.  This  can  be  most  conven- 
iently and  intelligently  obtained  in  target-shooting. 
At  a  properly  equipped  range,  each  shot  is  "  spot- 
ted "*  as  fired,  so  that  the  shooter  can  tell  instantly 
where  each  shot  strikes.  This  is  a  great  aid  and 

1  The  position  of  a  shot  accurately  indicated  by  a  marker  from  a  pit  or 
safe  place  near  the  target. 


72  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

advantage,  as  it  enables  the  shooter  to  note  the 
effect  of  changes  in  light,  wind,  slight  displace- 
ments in  the  sights,  etc.,  and  modify  his  work 
accordingly.  The  usual  distance  is  50  yd.  Very 
good  shooting  has  been  done  at  100  yd.,  and  even 
at  200  yd.,  but  such  long-range  shooting  is  rarely 
attempted  except  by  the  very  best  shots.  The 
whole  target  being  so  small  at  that  distance,  a 
shot  need  not  be  very  wild  to  miss  the  target. 
Such  an  occurrence  is  very  unsatisfactory  and 
disconcerting  to  a  fairly  skilful  shot.  There  is, 
moreover,  nothing  to  be  gained  by  extremely 
long-range  work.  The  pistol  and  revolver  are  not 
designed  for  it,  and  there  is  much  more  pleasure 
and  satisfaction  in  shooting  at  the  shorter  ranges. 
It  is  customary  and  desirable  to  practise  at  the 
target  under  the  conditions  governing  the  annual 
championship  matches.  This  accustoms  one  to 
those  conditions,  and  is  a  decided  advantage  if  one 
expects  to  enter  the  competitions.  It  is  also  ex- 
cellent training  for  record  shooting.  In  target 
practice  with  military  arms,  regulation  full-charge 
ammunition  should  be  used  in  all  cases,  especially 
when  practising  rapid-fire  shooting.  With  target 
weapons,  reduced  charges  are  frequently  used,  and 
the  shooting  is  generally  slow  and  deliberate. 


Target  Shooting  73 

,  The  target  used  by  the  United  States  army  for 
revolver  practice  is  the  regulation  silhouette  man 
target. 

This  consists  of  the  figure  of  a  man  standing, 
and  is  used  for  both  mounted  and  dismounted 
practice.  For  the  mounted  practice  the  target 
consists  of  a  steel  skeleton  frame,  covered  with 
cloth  and  black  paper,  and  is  held  in  position  by 
supporting  rods  and  braces.  This  is  designated 
as  "  Target  D."  Five  of  these  targets  are  set  up 
at  a  distance  of  10  yd.  and  20  yd.  apart,  and  the 
troopers  ride  by  them  on  the  walk,  trot,  and  gal- 
lop, firing  one  shot  at  each  target  as  they  pass. 
This  practice  is  modified  by  changing  the  position 
of  the  targets  so  the  position  will  be  25,  20,  15,  10, 
and  5  yd.  respectively,  and  shooting  to  the  right, 
left,  and  rear.  Ten  shots  per  man  are  also  fired 
at "  Target  K  " — the  silhouette  figure  of  a  mounted 
soldier. 

All  revolver  target  practice  consists  of  two 
classes,  "  Preliminary"  and  "  Record,"  the  latter 
being  incorporated  in  the  official  reports.  Five 
shots  constitute  a  score.  The  target  used  for 
the  dismounted  practice  is  known  as  target 
"A i,"  consisting  of  a  rectangle  6  ft.  high  and 
4  ft.  wide,  with  a  circular  black  bull's-eye  and 


74  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

seven  concentric  rings,  with  values  and  diam- 
eters as  follows  :  Bull's-eye  or  10  ring,  5  in.  ; 
9  ring,  8£  in.  ;  8  ring,  12  in. ;  7  ring,  15!  in.  ; 
6  ring,  19  in.  ;  5  ring,  2 2\  in.  ;  4  ring,  26  in.  ; 
3  ring,  46  in.  ;  2  rectangle,  rest  of  target. 

The  "  Preliminary "  practice  consists  of  two 
scores  slow  fire  with  a  time  limit  of  30  sec.  per 
shot  at  each  of  the  ranges  50  yd.  and  75  yd.  ; 
two  scores  timed  fire  with  a  time  limit  of  30  sec. 
per  score,  25  yd.  and  50  yd.  ;  and  two  scores 
rapid  fire  with  a  time  limit  of  10  sec.  per  score 
at  each  of  the  ranges  15  yd.  and  25  yd. 

The  "  Record"  practice,  or  competition  pro- 
per, is  the  same  as  the  ''Preliminary"  practice 
except  that  the  course  will  be  fired  through 
twice,  the  total  number  of  scores  being  at  each 
range  for  each  class  of  fire,  four,  instead  of  two. 
The  order  of  sequence  of  the  classes  of  fire 
(slow,  timed,  or  rapid)  is  determined  by  the 
officer  in  charge  of  the  competition,  and  so  as 
to  secure  as  nearly  as  possible  equal  conditions 
of  firing  for  all  competitors.  In  firing  scores 
within  a  specified  time  limit  the  range  officer 
gives  the  commands,  "  Ready,"  4<  Fire."  At  the 
command  "  Ready,"  the  competitor  at  the  firing 
point  raises  his  piece  into  position  and  begins 


Target  Shooting  75 

to  fire  immediately  after  the  command  "Fire." 

Gold,  silver,  and  bronze  medals  are  awarded 
to  those  making  the  highest  scores.  The  regu- 
lations provide  for  annual  competitions  in  each 
department,  and  in  each  even-numbered  year  a 
competition  between  representatives  of  all  the 
departments. 

The  revolver  practice  in  the  U.  S.  Navy  con- 
sists of  two  classes,  designated  the  Marksman's 
Course  and  the  Sharpshooter's  Course.  Each 
course  is  subdivided  into  "  Instruction  Practice" 
and  "  Record  Practice." 

All  shooting  is  done  on  target  "A,"  which  is  a 
rectangle  6  ft.  high  by  4  ft.  wide,  with  a  circular 
black  bull's-eye  8  in.  in  diameter,  counting  5,  and 
concentric  circles  of  count  with  diameters  as 
follows  :  4  ring,  26  in. ;  3  ring,  46  in. ;  2  rect- 
angle, rest  of  target. 

The  men  are  required  to  make  80  per  cent, 
of  the  possible  in  the  marksman's  course  before 
they  can  proceed  on  the  sharpshooter's  course. 

Marksman's  Course  (slow  fire). 

Instruction  Practice  : 

At  least  i  string  of  6  shots,  each  range:  15 
yd.,  25  yd.,  50  yd. ;  no  time  limit. 


76  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

Record  Practice: 

At  least  i  string  of  6  shots,  each  range:  15 
yd.,  25  yd.,  50  yd.  ;  time  limit,  5  min. 

Sharpshooter's  Course   (rapid  fire). 

Instruction  Practice  : 

6  shots,  each  range:   15  yd.  ;  25  yd  ;  50  yd.; 
time  limit,  18  sec. 
Record  Practice  : 

6  shots,  each  range:  15  yd.  ;  25  yd.  ;  50  yd.  ; 
time  limit,  18  sees. 

In  the  rapid  fire  practice  the  timing  is  done 
by  having  the  target  appear  and  disappear,  re- 
maining in  position  for  firing  18  seconds. 

In  addition  to  the  above  regulation  practice, 
the  men  are  put  through  a  thorough  prelimin- 
ary course  of  position,  sighting  and  aiming  drill. 

The  more  expert  men  are  given  advanced  prac- 
tice in  snap,  double-action  and  left-hand  shoot- 
ing, also  firing  alternately  at  targets  at  different 
distances  and  at  floating  objects  at  unknown 
distances. 

The  revolver  course  adopted  by  the  National 
Guard  in  1907  is  divided  into  three  classes,  as 
follows  :  Marksman,  Sharpshooter  and  Expert, 
using  target  "  A"  (the  same  as  used  in  the  U.  S. 
Navy). 


Target  Shooting  77 

Course  for  qualification  as  marksman  and 
sharpshooter : 

Distances,  15,  25,  and  50  yards. 

15  yards:  2  scores,  rapid  fire,  10  seconds  to 
each  score  of  5  shots. 

25  yards:  2  scores,  rapid  fire,  10  seconds  to 
each  score  of  5  shots. 

25  yards  :  2  scores,  timed  fire,  30  seconds  to 
each  score  of  5  shots. 

50  yards  :  2  scores,  slow  fire,  i  minute  to  each 
shot,  5  shots  to  each  score. 

Necessary  for  qualification  as  marksman  : 
Sixty-five  per  cent,  of  possible  score,  or  130  out 
of  200  points.  Necessary  for  qualification  as 
sharpshooter :  Eighty  per  cent,  of  possible 
score,  or  160  out  of  200  points. 

Course  for  qualification  as  expert  (open  to 
sharpshooters  only)  : 

Distances,  15,  25,  50,  and  75  yards. 

15  yards:  2  scores,  rapid  fire,  8  seconds  to 
each  score  of  5  shots. 

25  yards  :  2  scores,  rapid  fire,  8  seconds  to 
each  score  of  5  shots. 

25  yards  :  2  scores,  timed  fire,  20  seconds  to 
each  score  of  5  shots. 


78  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

50  yards  :  2  scores,  timed  fire,  20  seconds  to 
each  score  of  5  shots. 

75  yards  :  2  scores,  slow  fire,  20  seconds  to 
each  shot,  5  shots  to  each  score. 

Necessary  for  qualification  as  expert :  Eighty 
per  cent,  of  possible  score,  or  200  out  of  250 
points. 


\ 


\ 


10  circle 
9      " 


FIG.  49.  —  Standard  American  Target. 
Diameter  of  Circles 

.     3.36  inches  \  6  circle 

"       .1  Bull's-eye 


5-54 
8.00 
n.oo 


14.80  inches 
19.68      " 
26.00      " 


Rest  of  target,  28  X  28  inches. 


Target  Shooting  79 

The  conditions  of  the  Annual  Championship 
Matches  of  the  United  States  Revolver  Asso- 
ciation are  excellent,  and  well  adapted  to  stimu- 
late improvement  in  the  arms  and  develop  the 
highest  order  of  marksmanship.  These  matches 
are  described  in  detail  in  the  appendix. 

The  official  target  of  the  United  States  Revolver 
Association,  which  is  used  in  the  annual  cham- 
pionship matches  and  for  record  shooting,  is  the 
Standard  American  Target.  This  target  is  also 
used  by  nearly  all  the  shooting  clubs  and  organ- 
izations in  the  United  States.  For  5O-yd.  shooting 
the  bull's-eye  is  8  in.  in  diameter  and  contains  the 
8,  9,  and  10  rings.  This  target  is  well  suited  for 
target  practice  at  this  range.  It  has  been  used 
extensively  since  1886.  Ten  shots,  with  one  hun- 
dred for  the  possible,  usually  constitute  a  score. 
For  gallery  shooting  at  20  yd.  this  target  is  reduced 
so  that  the  bull's-eye  is  2T7^  in.  in  diameter, 
and  for  lo-yd.  shooting  i  in.  in  diameter.  In 
indoor  shooting  smokeless  powder  and  reduced 
charges  are  always  to  be  preferred.  Where  arti- 
ficial ventilation  is  provided,  some  shooting  may 
be  done  with  black  powder  ammunition,  but  the 
range  soon  fills  with  smoke,  rendering  the  targets 
indistinct  and  the  atmosphere  unpleasant.  Gal- 


8o  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

lery  practice  is  very  valuable,  as  it  enables  one  to 
preserve  good  form  in  the  winter  months,  in 
localities  where  it  is  too  cold  to  shoot  with  com- 
fort and  pleasure  out-of-doors.  An  arm  of  large 
caliber  has  a  decided  advantage  over  one  of  small 
caliber  in  short-range  shooting,  on  account  of  the 
larger  hole  made  by  the  bullet,  and,  for  this  reason, 
the  large  calibers  are  preferred  for  gallery  shoot- 
ing. For  distances  less  than  25  yd.  not  more  than 
five  shots  should  be  fired  on  a  paper  or  card- 
board target.  In  case  a  close  group  is  made,  the 
scoring  will  be  much  easier  and  more  accurate 
than  when  ten  shots  are  fired  at  a  single  target. 
The  best  grades  of  target  arms,  including  all  those 
illustrated  in  this  chapter,  are  capable  of  making 
"  possibles "  or  perfect  scores  on  the  standard 
American  target,  using  regulation  ammunition. 
To  make  high  scores  is  therefore  simply  a  ques- 
tion of  skill  on  the  part  of  the  shooter. 

A  great  many  other  targets  designed  principally 
for  rifle-shooting  have  been  recommended  at 
different  times  by  well-known  and  scientific  marks- 
men. Some  of  these  targets  possess  much  merit 
and  have  become  popular  in  certain  localities. 
It  is  unquestionably  a  mistake  to  introduce  new 
targets  in  this  manner  as  long  as  satisfactory 


Target  Shooting  81 

targets  are  in  general  use,  and  on  which  all  the 
important  matches  and  records  have  been  shot. 
The  merit  of  a  score  oil  a  new  target  .cannot  be 
judged  by  those  unfamiliar  with  it,  and  frequently 
a  highly  meritorious  score  fails  to  receive  the 
recognition  it  deserves  on  account  of  having  been 
shot  on  a  comparatively  unknown  target. 

In  selecting  a  target  for  longer  ranges  than 
50  yards  it  is  always  preferable  to  have  the 
bull's-eye  sufficiently  large  so  as  to  be  seen  with 
ease  and  comfort  when  sighting.  Small  bull's- 
eyes  strain  and  tire  the  eyes  and  have  no  ad- 
vantage whatever. 

In  England  and  France  the  targets  generally 
have  smaller  bull's-eyes  than  here.  At  Bisley,  the 
shooting  is  principally  at  a  distance  of  20  yards 
on  a  bull's-eye  2  in.  in  diameter.  At  .50  yards 
the  bull's-eye  is  4  in.  in  diameter.  The  English 
targets  have  no  circles  of  count  within  the 
bull's-eye.  The.  regulation  targets  of  the  United 
Shooting  Societies  of  France  have  bull's-eyes  5 
and  6  centimetres  in  diameter  for  the  pistol  and 
revolver  respectively,  at  20  metres,  and  20  centi- 
metres in  diameter  for  5O-metre  shooting.  All 
these  targets  have  two  or  more  circles  of  count 
within  the  bull's-eye. 


82  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

REVOLVER  PRACTICE  FOR  THE  POLICE 

r- 

*  The  revolver  is  a  part'of  the  regular  equip- 
ment of  the  police  force  of  nearly  every  city  in 
this  country.  Unfortunately,  the  general  lack 
of  any  regulations  for  the  care  of  and  practice 
with  these  arms  largely  nullifies  their  usefulness. 
Even  in  the  large  cities,  members  of  the  police 
force  frequently  admit  that  they  have  not  used 
or  cleaned  their  arms  for  six  months,  or  more. 
An  inspection  of  the  arms  under  such  conditions 
not  infrequently  reveals  the  fact  that  center-fire 
arms  are  loaded  with  rim-fire  ammunition,  and 
vice-versa.  The  mechanism  is  often  so  badly 
rusted  that  the  cylinder  will  not  revolve  and  the 
barrel  so  corroded  as  to  seriously  impair  its 
accuracy.  When  occasion  requires  the  use  of 
the  arms  under  such  conditions,  accidents  almost 
invariably  result,  either  to  the  policemen  who 
attempt  to  fire  the  arms,  or  to  innocent  by- 
standers and  property. 

The  records  of  every  large  municipality  show 
that  large  sums  are  annually  disbursed  in  litiga- 
tion  and  to  individuals  who  have  suffered  either 
personal  wounds  or  property  damage  from  acci- 
dents of  this  character. 


Revolver  Practice  for  the  Police         83 

By  adopting  suitable  arms,  and  regulations 
governing  practice  shooting  with  them,  it  is  en- 
tirely practicable  and  comparatively  easy  to  train 
a  large  police  force  to  become  good  marksmen. 
The  possibility  of  accidents  is  thus  reduced  to  a 
minimum  and  the  efficiency  of  the  men  increased 
to  a  maximum.  The  moral  effect  of  a  high 
order  of  marksmanship  of  an  entire  police  force, 
when  generally  known,  cannot  be  over-esti- 
mated. Practice  and  skill  in  the  use  of  the 
revolver  embodies  the  essential  elements  of  rifle 
shooting,  so  that  in  case  of  riot,  insurrection,  or 
war,  a  large  police  force  could  be  made  quickly 
available  for  duty  with  very  little  additional 
instruction,  by  arming  them  with  rifles. 

A  practical  plan  to  develop  such  results  is  as 
follows  :  The  services  of  a  competent  person  to 
teach  the  men  must  first  be  secured.  This  man 
should  be  an  experienced  and  skilful  marksman 
with  the  revolver  and  be  qualified  to  maintain 
proper  discipline  and  teach  the  subject  in  all  its 
details.  A  suitable  range  must  next  be  pro- 
vided. Two  men  from  each  precinct  selected 
for  their  fitness  to  become  instructors  should 
then  be  detailed  to  take  a  prescribed  course  of 
training  and  practice  under  the  teacher  referred 


84  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

to.  Each  of  these  men  should  devote  not  less 
than  four  hours  a  week  to  this  course.  In  four 
months'  time  these  men  should  be  qualified  to 
undertake  the  work  of  training  and  instructing 
others  under  the  inspection  and  supervision  of 
the  original  teacher.  After  providing  sufficient 
range  facilities,  squads  of  men  from  each  pre- 
cinct should  then  be  detailed  for  practice  and 
instruction  under  their  own  instructors,  devoting 
at  least  two  hours  per  man  per  week  to  this 
work.  At  least  one  and  one-half  hours  of  this 
time  should  be  devoted  to  actual  practice  shoot- 
ing. After  sufficient  skill  has  been  developed, 
teams  of  the  different  precincts  should  shoot 
matches  with  each  other,  which  will  keep  up  a 
friendly  rivalry  and  promote  interest  in  their 
work. 

By  adopting  such  a  plan  it  is  possible,  within 
a  year  from  its  inception,  to  convert  an  entire 
police  force  into  perfectly  safe  and  reliable  shots 
of  good  ability ;  i.  e.,  such  ability  as  would 
enable  all  of  them  to  hit  an  object  the  size  of  a 
man  every  time  at  100  feet.  The  mistake  is 
sometimes  made  of  requiring  the  men  to  prac- 
tice during  off-duty  time  ;  this  has  never  proved 
successful. 


Revolver  Practice  for  the  Police          85 

After  the  first  year,  or  after  a  sufficient  degree 
of  skill  has  been  developed,  the  efficiency  of  the 
men  can  be  preserved  and  maintained  by  devot- 
ing an  hour  every  two  weeks  to  regulation  prac- 
tice. There  is  little  doubt  but  that  the  cost  of 
the  time  and  ammunition  devoted  to  such  a 
course  of  training  would  be  more  than  offset  by 
the  elimination  of  a  large  portion  of  the  acci- 
dents, litigation,  etc.,  that  result  under  the 
present  conditions. 

Much  of  the  efficiency  that  it  is  possible  to 
attain  depends  upon  the  character  of  the  regu- 
lation arm  that  may  be  adopted  for  police 
service.  Such  an  arm  should  be  of  large  calibre 
and  sufficient  power  to  fulfil  the  requirements. 
When  carried  in  the  pocket  the  perspiration  of 
the  body  causes  rust,  and  a  nickel  finish  will 
generally  be  more  serviceable  than  any  other. 
The  sights,  hammers  and  other  projections 
should  be  of  suitable  form,  and  as  referred  to 
in  the  text  under  "  Pocket  Arms/'  In  order  to 
secure  suitable  accuracy,  the  barrel  should  be 
4  in.  in  length  and  the  trigger  pull  4  Ibs.  A 
first-class  weapon  for  police  service  is  the  .38- 
cal.  Smith  &  Wesson  safety  hammerless,  the 
.38-cal.  Colt  New  Police,  or  the  .32  cal.  side 


86  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

swing  action  Smith  &  Wesson  or  Colt  revolvers. 
The  .38-cal.  Smith  &  Wesson  safety  hammerless 
is  particularly  well  adapted  for  police  service, 
the  safety  feature  making  accidental  discharge 
almost  impossible,  and  being  also  a  decided 
advantage  in  case  the  weapon  should  fall  into 
the  hands  of  an  unskilled  antagonist. 

In  all  cases  a  regulation  arm  and  ammunition 
should  be  adopted   so  as  to  secure  uniformity 
and  involve   the   purchase   of  only  one  line  of 
i    supplies  and  ammunition. 

PISTOL  SHOOTING  FOR  LADIES 

The  great  majority  of  ladies  have  some  inher- 
ent dread  of  all  varieties  of  fire  arms.  This 
no  doubt  is  largely  due  to  the  senseless  and 
irresistible  desire  of  inexperienced  persons  to 
indulge  in  a  mock-heroic  display  and  flourish 
of  such  arms  when  in  the  presence  of  ladies. 
All  useless  demonstration  and  ostentation  with 
fire  arms  serves  only  to  distinguish  those  who 
are  unfamiliar  with  their  proper  manipulation 
and  use.  Persons  handling  arms  in  this  manner 
should  be  avoided,  or  promptly  compelled  to 
desist.  Many  of  the  accidents  of  the  "  I  did 


Pistol  Shooting  for  Ladies  87 

not   know  it  was   loaded "   order  occur  in  this 
manner. 

There  is  nothing  occult  or  mysteriously  dan- 
gerous about  fire  arms,  but  their  potential  power 
must  never  be  forgotten  in  handling  them.  As 
a  weapon  of  defense  the  revolver  places  the 
weakest  and  most  diminutive  person  skilled  in 
its  use,  on  an  equality  with  the  most  powerful 
antagonist.  Ladies  who  travel  extensively  and 
visit  semi-civilized  countries,  especially  the 
wives  and  daughters  of  army  and  navy  officers 
assigned  to  foreign  stations,  should  be  thor- 
oughly familiar  with  fire  arms  and  skilled  in 
their  use.  The  necessity  of  knowing  how  to 
shoot,  like  knowing  how  to  swim,  may  occur 
but  once  in  a  woman's  lifetime,  but  when  occa- 
sion does  require  either,  it  is  generally  under 
circumstances  involving  peril  to  life,  and  for 
that  reason  both  are  advantageous  and  valuable 
accomplishments.  Every  woman  should,  there- 
fore, be  sufficiently  familiar  with  fire  arms  to 
know  how  to  handle  them  safely,  and,  in  an 
emergency,  to  use  them  with  intelligence. 
While  skill  in  the  use  of  the  pistol  and  revolver 
is  a  useful  accomplishment,  the  practice  shoot- 
ing with  these  arms  will  prove  exceedingly  in- 


88  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

teresting.  Target  practice  with  the  .22-cal.  pis- 
tol is  particularly  well  suited  for  ladies,  and 
those  who  have  had  the  opportunity  to  indulge 
in  it,  have  invariably  found  it  an  enjoyable  and 
fascinating  pastime.  There  is  every  reason,  too, 
to  believe  that  ladies  would  excel  and  develop 
a  higher  order  of  skill  in  pistol  shooting  than 
gentlemen,  because  they  are  generally  more 
temperate  and  possess  a  more  delicate  nervous 
system. 

A  number  of  civilian  shooting  clubs  have 
successful  ladies'  auxiliary  clubs,  and  there  are 
at  the  present  time  a  large  number  of  ladies 
who  are  skillful  markswomen  with  the  pistol  and 
revolver. 

Any  of  the  target  pistols  referred  to  in  the 
text  under  the  subject  of  Arms  (except  the 
Remington  pistol,  which  is  a  very  heavy  piece) 
are  suitable  for  ladies'  use.  A  very  serviceable 
and  handsome  combination  is  furnished  by 
Smith  &  Wesson,  which  consists  of  their  regu- 
lar target  pistol  with  a  loinch  barrel  and  an 
interchangeable  ,38-cal.  revolver  barrel  and  cylin- 
der, fitting  to  the  same  stock.  These  are  fur- 
nished in  a  special  case  with  cleaning  rods,  etc., 
making  a  complete  and  attractive  outfit. 


Pistol  Shooting  for  Ladies 


89 


It  is  well  to  begin  practice  with  a  .22-cal. 
pistol,  as  this  is  a  light  and  very  pleasant  charge 
to  shoot,  and  the  tendency  to  "  flinch "  is  re- 
duced to  a  minimum.  After  a  fair  degree  of 
skill  has  been  developed  with  the  .22-cal.  pistol, 


COMBINATION    SKT. — Smith    &   Wesson    ,38-Cal.     Revolver,    .22-Cal. 
Pistol,  Utensils,  etc.,  in  Case. 

reduced  charges  with  a  revolver  may  be  tried, 
and  from  this  stage  the  practice  shooting  can 
progress  to  the  regulation  full  charges-.  It  is 
desirable  that  ladies  should  have  a  little  prac- 
tice with  the  revolver  with  full  charged  ammuni- 
tion, so  as  to  be  able  to  manipulate  them  with 
sufficient  skill  in  case  of  necessity. 


go  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

CLUBS    AND    RANGES1 

Whenever  three  or  more  persons  in  any  locality 
are  interested  in  rifle  or  revolver  shooting,  a  club 
can  generally  be  organized  and  additional  mem- 
bers secured.  If  the  business  affairs  are  prop- 
erly and  conservatively  managed,  much  pleasure 
will  result  for  the  members  at  a  nominal  cost. 
Approximate  ideas  of  the  cost  of  constructing 
and  maintaining  ranges  and  indoor  "  galleries" 
can  generally  be  obtained  by  communicating 
with  the  officers  of  existing  clubs.  In  preparing 
the  Constitution  and  By-Laws,  that  of  the  U.  S. 
Revolver  Association  will  be  an  excellent  guide. 
The  secretary-treasurer  of  that  association  will 
be  able  to  give  valuable  assistance  to  new  clubs. 

The  first  requisite  of  a  shooting  club  is  a 
suitable  range.  A  5O-yard  range  adapted  for 
pistol  and  revolver  practice  can  be  constructed 
at  a  comparatively  small  expense.  At  the  firing 
point  a  room  or  house  should  be  provided  with 
booths  at  least  3  ft.  wide,  with  openings  facing 
the  targets.  A  substantial  butt  must  be  pro- 

1  For  a  complete  detailed  description  of  range  construction,  including 
illustrations,  practical  working  drawings,  etc.,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
Rifle  Range  Construction,  published  by  The  E.  I.  du  Pont  Powder 
Company,  Rifle  Smokeless  Division,  Wilmington,  Delaware. 


Clubs  and  Ranges  91 

vided  behind  the  targets  to  stop  the  bullets, 
including  the  wildest  shots.  This  should  be  an 
earthen  embankment,  or  may  be  a  natural  un- 
inhabited hill  with  a  steep  slope  toward  the 
range.  The  range  should  be  measured  and  laid 
out  by  an  engineer,  or  other  competent  person 
using  a  steel  tape.  A  pit  at  least  8^  ft.  deep 
should  be  dug  for  the  safe  accommodation  of 
the  markers,  and  provided  with  a  safely  shielded 
side  entrance.  The  uprights  and  other  target 
framing  should  set  against  the  back  side  of  this 
pit.  The  width  of  the  pit  from  the  framing 
toward  the  firing  point  should  be  5  ft.,  and  the 
length  should  be  made  about  3^  ft.  for  each 
set  of  alternating  targets.  The  alternating 
target  frames  to  which  the  targets  are  to  be 
attached  may  be  of  wood  covered  with  canvas, 
and  should  be  at  least  3  ft.  square.  These 
should  be  so  arranged  that  they  can  easily  be 
moved  up  and  down  between  the  vertical  posts 
in  grooves  or  slides,  like  "  double  hung"  window 
sash,  and  so  as  to  balance  each  other  by  means 
of  cords  running  over  pulleys  located  in  the 
posts  at  about  the  height  of  the  bottom  of  the 
target  when  in  its  highest  position,  the  cords 
being  attached  to  the  lower  corners  of  the 


92  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

frames.  They  should  be  adjusted  so  that  when 
one  target  is  at  the  top  and  in  position  to  be 
fired  at,  the  other  is  at  the  bottom  of  the  pit. 
Over  each  set  of  alternating  targets  and  attached 
to  a  cross  piece  at  the  top  of  the  uprights  should 
be  placed  large  numbers  from  3  to  10  inclusive, 
for  marking  each  target.  A  roof  or  shelter 
should  be  erected  so  as  to  shade  the  target  and 
keep  out  the  rain.  Suitable  timbers  should  be 
provided  to  protect  the  slides  or  grooves  be- 
tween the  targets  from  damage  by  wild  shots. 
Steel  plates  are  sometimes  placed  a  short  dis- 
tance behind  the  targets,  slanting  forward  at  the 
top,  to  positively  stop  the  majority  of  the  bullets, 
but  these  must  be  far  enough  behind  the  targets 
that  the  spatter  of  the  lead  will  not  injure  the 
men  in  the  pit.  If  possible,  have  the  targets  so 
located  that  they  are  due  north  of  the  firing  point. 
Such  a  range  is  operated  as  follows :  A 
marker  is  sent  into  the  pit  for  each  target  to  be 
operated  ;  paper  targets  having  been  pasted  to 
the  canvas  on  the  frames  a  sufficient  length  of 
time  previously  so  as  to  be  dry.  The  marker 
pulls  down  one  of  the  targets  which  raises  the 
other  into  the  firing  position.  As  soon  as  the 
shot  is  fired,  the  marker,  using  a  lo-ft.  rod  with 


Details  of  Alternating  Targets,  Pit,  etc.,  for  50- Yard  Range. 


94  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

an  iron  disc  2^-in.  in  diameter  fastened  on  the 
end  as  a  pointer,  "spots"  the  shot  by  placing 
the  disc  over  the  bullet  hole,  and  then  pointing 
to  one  of  the  numbers  over  the  target  corres- 
ponding to  the  value  of  the  shot.  The  disc  on 
the  pointer  should  have  one  side  painted  white 
so  that  it  can  be  easily  distinguished  when  cov- 
ering shots  in  the  bull's-eye. 

The  scorer  at  the  firing  point  then  scores  the 
shot  as  indicated  by  the  marker.  The  marker 
then  raises  the  target  at  the  bottom  of  the  pit 
in  position  for  the  next  shot,  which  brings  the 
first  target  down  into  the  pit  where  the  marker 
covers  the  bullet  hole  with  a  paster.  This 
operation  is  repeated  for  each  shot. 

Where  a  score  of  ten  consecutive  shots  is  to 
be  made  on  each  paper  target,  the  target  is  fast- 
ened to  the  frame  with  double  pointed  carpet 
tacks  and  left  in  the  firing  position  until  the  ten 
shot  score  is  completed,  each  shot  being  "  spot- 
ted," marked,  and  scored  as  fired.  When  the 
score  is  completed,  another  paper  target  having 
been  placed  on  the  alternating  frame  in  the  pit, 
the  latter  is  raised  in  position  promptly  ready 
for  the  next  score. 

In  large  cities  it  is  often  necessary  to  provide 


96  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

a  suitable  range  for  target  shooting  indoors  and 
by  artificial  light.  Such  a  range  is  designated 
a  "gallery."  The  standard  range  is  20  yd.  for 
the  revolver  and  pistol,  and  25  yd.  for  the  rifle. 
The  arrangement  at  the  firing  point  is  practi- 
cally the  same  as  in  the  case  of  the  5<>yd. 
ranges,  the  booths  being  at  least  3  ft.  wide. 
On  account  of  the  small  size  of  the  target  and 
the  short  distance,  it  is  feasible  to  move  the 
target  back  and  forth  from  the  firing  point  to 
the  butt  by  "  trolleys "  operated  by  a  hand 
wheel,  the  latter  being  located  generally  at  the 
left  hand  side  in  the  booth  at  the  firing  point. 
The  "trolley"  or  carriage  consists  of  a  heavy 
steel  spring  clamp  holding  a  cardboard  target 
(about  9  inches  square)  at  the  top  edge  of  the 
target,  the  carriage  being  supported  by  a  No.  8 
or  lo-gauge  wire  stretched  from  the  firing  point 
to  the  butt,  at  a  level  of  about  2  ft.  above  the 
line  of  fire.  The  supporting  wires  are  attached 
to  the  wood-work  at  the  firing  point  by  means 
of  eye-bolts,  which  also  regulate  the  tension  of 
the  wires.  The  trolleys  are  operated  back  and 
forth  by  an  endless  braided  cord  passing  around 
angles  over  pulleys  screwed  to  the  wood  work 
of  the  booth,  and  around  the  hand  wheel.  A 


Clubs  and  Ranges  97 

steel  plate  with  the  lower  part  inclined  away 
from  the  firing  point  20  or  30  degrees  is  placed 
about  12  inches  back  of  the  targets  to  stop  the 
bullets  and  prevent  them  from  gouging  out  the 
wall  or  woodwork  behind.  By  deflecting  the 
plates  as  described,  the  spatter  of  the  lead  is 
directed  downward,  and  thus  prevents  damage 
to  the  woodwork  around  the  targets.  A  suita- 
ble background  behind  the  targets  may  be  pro- 
vided by  white  or  light  gray  paint,  or  by  a  suit- 
able fabric. 

If  the  spatter  of  the  bullets  mars  the  targets, 
a  shield  of  i-in.  boards  can  be  erected  and 
maintained  between  the  target  and  the  steel 
plate. 

The  lighting  may  be  accomplished  by  a  line 
of  gas  jets  or  electric  lights  about  2  ft.  in  front 
of  the  targets  and  at  the  same  distance  either 
above  or  below  them.  At  least  two  jets  should 
be  used  to  light  each  target,  otherwise  the 
flicker  of  the  gas  jets  makes  the  light  unsatis- 
factory. The  reflectors  should  be  of  tin  or 
other  metal,  polished  or  painted  white.  Glass 
is  too  fragile  for  this  purpose.  Heavy  timbers 
or  steel  plates  must  be  provided  to  protect  the 
lights  and  piping  from  wild  shots.  A  telescope 


98  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

is  mounted  in  each  booth  to  enable  the  marks- 
man to  see  the  location  of  shots  in  the  bull's- 
eye. 

When  floor  space  is  limited  the  rifle  ranges 
can  sometimes  be  located  over  the  revolver 
ranges,  or  the  latter,  if  the  range  is  in  a  cellar,  may 
be  depressed  by  constructing  a  pit  of  a  suitable 
depth  at  the  firing  point.  The  booths  for  rifle 
shooting  and  the  operation  of  the  targets  are 
practically  the  same  as  already  described. 

It  is  best  to  complete  all  the  work  at  the 
target  end  of  the  range  first.  After  the  location 
of  the  targets  is  definitely  fixed  the  position  of 
the  firing  line  can  be  determined  by  making  the 
distance  from  the  target  to  the  firing  point  two 
inches  in  excess  of  20  yd.  or  50  yd.  as  the  case 
may  be.  The  slight  excess  distance  is  import- 
ant to  avoid  any  possibility  of  having  scores 
disqualified  in  case  the  range  should  later  be 
checked  or  verified  and  found  "short."  It  is 
desirable  whenever  possible  to  have  the  ranges 
of  standard  length,  especially  if  matches  with 
other  clubs  are  contemplated. 

The  table  for  cleaning  arms,  and  for  tools, 
oils,  utensils,  surplus  ammunition,  etc.,  should 
never  be  placed  near  the  booths,  but  on  the 


Clubs  and  Ranges  99 

opposite  side  of  the  room,  to  avoid  congestion 
at  the  firing  line. 

The  floor  on  which  the  contestants  stand  at 
the  firing  line  must  be  firm  and  solid,  so  as  not 
to  vibrate  or  move  when  others  walk  about  in 
close  proximity.  A  concrete  floor  covered  with 
a  carpet  or  rug  of  firm  texture  is  excellent. 

The  following  simple  rules  should  be  printed 
and  posted  in  conspicuous  places  in  every  shoot- 
ing range  or  gallery  : 

RULES 

Arms  shall  he  unloaded  until  the  contestant  is  at  the  firing- 
point. 

Loaded  arms  shall  be  handled  with  the  muzzle  pointing 
toward  the  targets. 

Automatic  arms  shall  be  used  only  under  the  personal  direc- 
tion of  the  Shooting  Master. 

Contestants  are  requested  to  use  the  greatest  care  in  handling 
arms  at  all  times. 

The  authority  of  the  Shooting  Master  in  charge  shall  be  abso- 
lute. 

The  rules  ot  the  United  States  Revolver  Association  shall 
govern  all  match  shooting. 

The  above  rules  must  be  strictly  observed  and  will  be  enforced. 

The  Walnut  Hill  Range  of  the  Massachusetts 
Rifle  Association  is  one  of  the  best  5O-yd.  re- 
volver ranges  in  the  country.  A  well-equipped 
gallery  that  has  recently  been  built  is  that  of 
the  Crescent  Athletic  Club,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


ioo  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

HlNTS    TO    BEGINNERS1 

Selection  of  Arms.  —  There  is  no  single  arm 
that  can  be  used  advantageously  for  all  classes  of 
shooting.  It  is  therefore  necessary  in  the  first 
place  to  decide  for  what  purpose  the  arm  is  to 
be  used.  A  careful  perusal  of  the  text  under 
"  Arms  "  and  "  Ammunition,"  will  be  of  assistance 
in  reaching  a  decision.  The  next  step  is  the  se- 
lection of  the  arm.  As  already  stated,  the  cheap, 
unreliable,  and  unsafe  arms  are  to  be  carefully 
avoided.  It  is  preferable  to  buy  a  second-hand 
arm  of  a  reputable  manufacturer,  if  in  good  con- 
dition, than  a  new  one  of  inferior  make.  Second- 
hand arms  frequently  have  defects  that  cannot  be 
detected  by  the  novice,  and,  if  obliged  to  buy  a 
second-hand  arm,  it  is  advisable  to  ask  some  ex- 
pert shot  to  assist  in  making  the  selection.  The 
price  of  the  best  grades  of  pistols  and  revolvers 
is,  fortunately,  within  the  reach  of  almost  every 
one,  and,  if  at  all  possible,  new  arms  should  be 
purchased. 

In  any  case,  whether  a  new  or  a  second-hand 

1  Under  this  subject  the  author  aims  to  give  helpful  practical  infor- 
mation and  advice  for  the  benefit  of  all  who  wish  to  acquire  skill  in  pistol 
.and  revolver  shooting. 


Hints  to  Beginners 

arm  is  to  be  chosen,  it  is  well  to  examine  and 
handle  all  the  different  models  of  the  best  makers. 
The  fit  and  feel  of  the  arm  are  very  important. 
Select  an  arm  that  feels  comfortable,  and  which, 
when  properly  held,  fits  the  hand  so  that  the  first 
joint  of  the  trigger  finger  just  touches  the  trigger 
when  that  part  of  the  finger  is  bent  at  right  angles 
to  the  barrel. 

The  correct  manner  of  holding  the  pistol  or 
'revolver  is  here  shown,  and  illustrates  how  the 
hand  should  fit  the  arm.  Note  particularly  the 
position  of  the  trigger  finger  and  the  thumb. 
The  trigger  finger  in  this  position  acts  directly 
backward  in  pressing  the  trigger,  and  the  thumb 
assists  materially  in  steadying  the  piece.  If  the 
piece  is  too  large  for  the  hand,  the  trigger  finger 
will  be  more  or  less  extended,  and  will  pull  side- 
wise  to  a  greater  or  less  degree,  and  thus  increase 
the  difficulty  of  fine  shooting.  The  fit  of  the  arm 
is  much  more  important,  and  has  a  vastly  greater 
effect  upon  the  results  than  fine  distinctions  be- 
tween the  merits  of  the  different  arms.  Any  of 
those  named  are  excellent  and  are  capable  of  shoot- 
ing much  more  accurately  than  they  can  possibly 
be  held  by  the  most  expert  shots.  A  man  with  a 
large  hand  will  probably  find  the  Remington  pistol 


Hints  to  Beginners  103 

or  the  Colt  New  Service  revolver  best  suited  for 
him ;  another  with  a  hand  of  medium  size  will 
find  the  S.  &  W.  pistol  or  the  S.  &  W.  Russian 
Model  revolver  most  desirable  ;  while  another  still, 
with  a  small  hand,  may  prefer  the  Stevens  pistol 
or  the  .38-cal.  military  revolver,  either  the  S.  &  W. 
or  the  Colt. 

If  an  arm  is  wanted  for  steady  use,  select  the 
plain  blued  finish,  and  wood  handles ;  elaborate 
engraving  and  gold,  silver,  copper,  or  nickel  fin- 
ished arms  are  handsome  and  pleasing,  but,  if 
much  used,  become  burnt  and  discolored  where 
the  powder  gases  escape,  and  soon  become  un- 
sightly. A  blued  finish  is  also  to  be  preferred 
when  shooting  in  the  sunlight.  Most  arms  as 
offered  on  the  market  have  hard  rubber  handles. 
These  become  smooth  and  slippery  when  the  hand 
perspires,  and  are  not  as  desirable  as  wood  handles. 
A  few  expert  shots  prefer  pearl  handles. 

The  trigger  pull  should  have  the  smallest  pos- 
sible travel  and  be  smooth  and  positive.  The 
smaller  the  travel  of  the  hammer,  the  quicker  will 
be  the  discharge  after  pulling  the  trigger.  If  the 
trigger  does  not  pull  smooth  and  "sweet,"  or  be- 
comes "  creepy  "  from  wear,  it  should  be  corrected 
by  a  skilled  gunsmith.  While  the  rules  allow  a 


104  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

trigger  pull  of  2  Ib.  for  the  pistol  and  2\  Ib. 
for  the  target  revolver,  many  expert  shots 
prefer  to  have  their  arm  pull  from  \  to  i  Ib, 
more.  The  rules  also  allow  7-^  and  8  in.  bar- 
rels for  the  revolver.  Most  of  the  experienced 
shots  prefer  to  have  their  revolvers  balance  near 
the  trigger,  and  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  extra 
length  of  barrel  above  6J  in.  does  not  offset 
the  disadvantage  of  poorer  balance.  In  the  pistol, 
however,  the  length  of  barrel  is  invariably  10 
in.  Accuracy  is  lost  very  rapidly  as  the  distance 
between  the  sights  is  reduced  below  7^  in. 

For  target-shooting,  the  .22-cal.  pistols  will 
be  found  admirably  suited  for  beginners.  The 
charge  being  light,  there  is  less  liability  to 
"  flinch,"  a  fault  easily  and  almost  invariably  ac- 
quired when  the  novice  begins  shooting  with  a 
heavy  charge.  The  practice  in  aiming  and  pull- 
ing the  trigger  with  these  arms  is  excellent  train- 
ing and  a  first-rate  and  valuable  preliminary  to 
the  more  difficult  and  practical  work  with  the 
revolver. 

The  double-action  feature  in  a  revolver  is  of 
very  little  practical  value.  Owing  to  the  varying 
amount  of  resistance  to  the  trigger  in  operating 
the  mechanism,  the  aim  is  disturbed  more  than  if 


Hints  to  Beginners  105 

the  hammer  is  cocked  with  the  thumb.  Even  in 
rapid-fire  shooting  better  results  are  obtained  with 
a  double-action  arm  if  used  as  a  single  action. 
It  is  also  more  difficult  to  make  the  trigger  pull 
smooth  and  short  in  double-action  mechanisms. 

Manipulation.  —  Most  of  the  accidents  with 
firearms  are  caused  by  carelessness  and  ignorance 
in  manipulating  them.  The  revolver  and  pistol, 
being  much  smaller,  are  more  dangerous  to  han- 
dle than  the  rifle  or  the  shotgun.  An  experi- 
enced pistol  shot  can  easily  be  singled  out  by 
the  extreme  care  and  unostentation  with  which 
he  handles  his  arms. 

On  picking  up  an  arm,  or  if  one  is  handed  to 
you,  open  the  action  at  once  and  make  sure  it  is 
not  loaded.  Always  do  this,  even  if  it  is  your 
own  arm  and  you  are  quite  sure  it  was  not  loaded 
when  you  last  put  it  away ;  some  one,  without 
any  idea  of  the  danger,  may  have  loaded  it  in 
your  absence.  Cultivate  and  practise  the  habit 
of  always  holding  the  arm,  whether  loaded  or  un- 
loaded, so  that  it  points  in  a  direction  where  it 
would  do  no  harm  if  it  were  to  go  off  unexpect- 
edly. By  observing  these  simple  rules,  serious 
accidents  will  be  impossible.  No  one  should  be 
allowed  to  handle  firearms  in  a  shooting  club  or 


io6  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

participate  in  any  of  the  public  matches  until  these 
rules  have  been  thoroughly  mastered, 

Position  and  Aiming. —  If  you  know  of  a  club 
or  shooting  organization  to  which  one  or  more 
first-rate  pistol  and  revolver  shots  belong,  it  is 
well  to  join  it,  if  possible.  Much  more  rapid  prog- 
ress can  be  made  by  observation  and  by  follow- 
ing the  suggestions  of  experienced  shots  than  if 
one  is  obliged  to  solve  the  various  problems  with- 
out such  assistance  or  advice.  In  order  to  famil- 
iarize yourself  with  your  arm,  it  is  well  to  practise 
aiming  and  pulling  the  trigger  before  any  actual 
shooting  is  attempted.  By  inserting  an  empty 
shell  for  the  hammer  to  strike  upon,  the  piece 
may  be  aimed  and  "snapped"  without  injury. 
The  position  you  adopt  is  very  important.  Stand 
firmly  on  both  feet,  with  the  body  perfectly  bal- 
anced and  turned  at  such  an  angle  as  is  most 
comfortable  when  the  arm  is  extended  toward  the 
target  in  aiming.  Let  the  left  arm  assume  any 
position  that  may  be  comfortable  and  natural. 
Select  a  small  black  spot  with  an  extensive  white 
background  to  sight  at.  A  small  black  paster  on 
a  window-pane,  with  the  sky  for  a  background,  is 
excellent  for  this  purpose.  When  the  aiming  is 
correct,  that  is,  when  the  sights  are  properly 


Hints  to  Beginners  107 

aligned,  their  position  with  reference  to  the  spot 
or  bull's-eye  should  be  as  shown  in  Fig.  51.  The 
top  of  the  front  sight  should  just  make  contact 
with  the  lower  edge  of  the  bull's-eye  corresponding 
to  the  position  of  VI  o'clock.  It  has  been  found 
by  experience  that  it  is  much  less  fatiguing  to 
lower  the  arm,  holding  the  piece,  to  the  target  than 
to  raise  it,  fully  extended,  up  to  the  target. 

With  the  pistol  or  revolver  in  the  right  hand, 
cock  the  hammer  with  the  thumb,  making  sure 
that  the  trigger  finger  is  free  from  the  trigger 
and  resting  against  the  forward  inner  surface  of 
the  trigger  guard.  In  cocking  the  piece,  have  the 
barrel  pointing  upward.  Then  extend  the  arm 
upward  and  forward,  so  that  when  you  assume 
your  firing  position  the  piece  will  point  about 
twenty  degrees  above  the  bull's-eye.  With  your 
eyes  fixed  on  the  bull's-eye  at  VI  o'clock,  inhale 
enough  air  fully  but  comfortably  to  fill  the  lungs, 
and  lower  the  piece  gradually  until  the  line  of 
the  sights  comes  a  short  distance  below  the  bull's- 
eye.  Now,  holding  your  breath  and  steadying 
the  piece  as  well  as  you  possibly  can,  bring  the 
line  of  the  sights  into  the  position  shown  in  Fig. 
51.  At  the  same  time  gradually  increase  the 
pressure  on  the  trigger  directly  backward,  so  that 


Hints  to  Beginners  109 

when  the  sights  are  pointing  at  the  bull's-eye  the 
hammer  will  fall.  Be  careful  not  to  pull  the  trig- 
ger with  a  jerk,  but  ease  it  off  with  a  gentle 
squeeze,  so  as  not  to  disturb  the  aim.  Accustom 
yourself  not  to  close  the  eye  when  the  hammer 
falls,  but  note  carefully  where  the  line  of  the 
sights  actually  points  at  the  instant  that  the  ham- 
mer falls.  You  will,  no  doubt,  find  it  almost  im- 
possible to  pull  the  trigger  at  the  moment  the 
sights  are  just  right.  The  hammer  will  fall  when 
the  line  of  the  sights  may  point  a  little  too  high 
or  too  low,  or  to  one  side  or  the  other  of  the 
bull's-eye ;  but  patient  practice  will  correct  this, 
and  in  time  you  will  be  able  to  let  off  the  arm  at 
the  right  moment. 

The  pulling  of  the  trigger  is  a  very  delicate 
operation ;  it  is,  in  fact,  the  most  important  detail 
to  master — the  secret  of  pistol  and  revolver 
shooting.  If  the  trigger  is  pulled  suddenly,  in 
the  usual  way,  at  the  instant  when  the  sights  ap- 
pear to  be  properly  aligned,  the  aim  is  so  seri- 
ously disturbed  that  a  wild  shot  will  result.  To 
avoid  this,  the  pressure  on  the  trigger  must 
always  be  steadily  applied,  and  while  the  sights 
are  in  line  with  the  bull's-eye.  It  is,  of  course,  im- 
possible to  hold  the  arm  absolutely  still,  and  aim 


no  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

steadily  at  one  point  while  the  pressure  is  being 
applied  to  the  trigger;  but,  in  aiming,  the  un- 
steadiness of  the  shooter  will  cause  the  line  of 
the  sights  to  point  above  the  bull's-eye,  then  below 
it,  to  one  side  of  it,  and  then  to  the  other,  back 
and  forth  and  around  it,  as  shown  by  the  dotted 
lines  in  Fig.  52.  Each  time  that  the  line  of  the 
sights  passes  over  the  bull's-eye  the  smallest  pos- 
sible increment  of  additional  pressure  is  succes- 
sively applied  to  the  trigger  until  the  piece  is 
finally  discharged  at  one  of  the  moments  that  the 
sights  are  in  correct  alignment.  Long  and  regu- 
lar practice  alone  will  secure  the  necessary  train- 
ing of  the  senses  and  muscles  to  act  in  sufficient 
harmony  to  enable  one  to  pull  the  trigger  in  this 
way  at  the  right  moment  for  a  long  series  of 
shots.  A  "  fine  sympathy  "  must  be  established 
between  the  hand,  the  eye,  and  the  brain,  render- 
ing them  capable  of  instant  cooperation.  The 
consciousness  of  the  voluntary  concurrence  of 
the  mind  and  the  muscular  system  constitutes 
the  real  charm  of  pistol  and  revolver  shooting. 

After  obtaining  a  fair  idea  of  aiming,  etc., 
watch  carefully  when  the  hammer  falls,  and  note 
if  it  jars  the  piece  and  disturbs  the  aim.  If  not, 
you  are  holding  the  arm  properly.  If  the  aim  is 


Hints  to  Beginners  1 1 1 

disturbed,  you  must  grip  the  arm  tighter  or  more 
loosely,  or  move  your  hand  up  or  down  on  the 
handle,  or  otherwise  change  your  method  of  hold- 
ing the  piece  until  your  "  hold  "  is  such  that  you 
can  snap  the  hammer  and  the  aim  remain  undis- 
turbed. This  aiming  drill  is  largely  practised  by 
expert  shots  indoors,  when  they  do  not  have  the 
opportunity  to  practise  regularly  out  of  doors. 

Target  Practice. —  If  your  first  actual  shooting 
is  done  at  the  range  of  a  club,  it  is  best  to  ask 
one  of  the  members  to  coach  you  until  you  get 
accustomed  to  the  rules,  etc.  A  target  will  be  as- 
signed to  yon,  and  you  will  repair  to  the  firing 
point  and  load  your  arm.  It  is  well  to  let  your 
coach  fire  the  first  shot  or  two,  to  see  if  your 
piece  is  sighted  approximately  right.  If  so,  you 
are  ready  to  begin  shooting.  If  the  sights  appear 
to  be  as  in  Fig.  5 1  at  the  moment  of  discharge, 
then  the  bullet  should  hit  the  centre  of  the  bull's- 
eye.  If,  after  several  shots,  you  are  convinced 
that  the  bullet  does  not  strike  where  it  should, 
the  arm  is  not  properly  sighted  for  you.  In  ad- 
justing the  sights,  you  will  find  it  an  advantage 
to  remember  a  very  simple  rule :  To  correct  the 
rear  sight,  move  it  in  the  same  direction  as  you 
would  the  shots  on  the  target  to  correct  them ;  or 


112 


The  Pistol  and  Revolver 


move  the  front  sight  in  the  opposite  direction. 
Most  target  arms  have  the  front  sight  non-adjust- 
able, and  the  rear  sight  adjustable  for  both  windage 
and  elevation.  A  few  arms  have  interchangeable 
or  adjustable  front  sights  for  elevation.  Move 
the  sights  a  little  at  a  time,  according  to  the  fore- 
going rules,  until  they  are  properly  aligned.  A 
few  ten-shot  scores  should  then  be  fired  for 
record.  As  you  become  accustomed  to  the 
range,  rules,  etc.,  you  will  feel  more  at  ease. 
This  will  inspire  confidence,  and  your  shooting 
will  improve  correspondingly.  Do  not  have  your 
sights  too  fine.  Fine  sights  are  much  more 
straining  on  the  eyes,  and  have  no  advantage 
over  moderately  coarse  sights.  The  rear  sights, 
as  generally  furnished,  are  purposely  made  with 
very  small  notches,  so  as  to  enable  individuals  to 
make  them  any  desired  size.  It  is  well  to  have 
the  trigger  pull  at  least  ^  of  a  pound  greater  than 
the  minimum  allowed  by  the  rules.  If  much 
used,  the  pull  sometimes  wears  lighter;  and  if 
there  is  little  or  no  margin,  you  run  the  risk  of 
having  your  arm  disqualified  when  you  wish  to 
enter  an  important  match. 

Never  use  other  ammunition  in  your  arm  than 
that  for  which   it   is  chambered.     A  number  of 


Hints  to  Beginners  113 

accidents  and  much  difficulty  have  resulted  from 
using  wrong  ammunition.  In  the  same  caliber 
the  actual  diameter  of  the  bullets  frequently 
varies  considerably,  and  a  few  shots,  even  if  they 
should  not  prove  dangerous,  may  lead  the  barrel, 
and  thus  cause  much  delay  and  annoyance. 
When  a  barrel  is  "  leaded  "  from  any  cause  it  will 
become  inaccurate.  In  such  cases,  particles  of 
lead  usually  adhere  to  the  inside  of  the  barrel  at 
or  near  the  breech.  A  brass  wire  brush,  of  suit- 
able size  to  fit  the  barrel,  will  generally  remove  it. 
When  this  fails,  carefully  remove  all  oil,  cork 
up  the  opposite  end  of  the  barrel  and  fill  it  with 
mercury,  letting  the  latter  remain  in  the  barrel 
until  the  lead  is  removed. 

Occasionally  the  powder  is  accidentally  omitted 
in  loading  a  cartridge.  When  the  primer  ex- 
plodes, the  bullet  may  be  driven  partly  through 
the  barrel  and  remain  in  it.  When  this  happens, 
whether  from  this  cause  or  any  other,  always  be 
careful  to  push  the  bullet  out  of  the  barrel  before 
firing  another  shot.  If  the  bullet  is  not  removed, 
and  another  shot  is  fired,  the  barrel  will  be  bulged 
and  ruined..  This  may  occur  with  a  light  gallery 
charge. 

When  shooting  the  .22-cal.  long  rifle  cartridge, 


T  1 4  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

there  will  be  an  occasional  misfire.  In  with- 
drawing the  cartridge  the  bullet  will  stick  in  the 
barrel  and  the  pow^der  spill  into  the  action. 
To  prevent  this,  hold  the  barrel  vertically,  with 
the  muzzle  up,  and  withdraw  the  shell  carefully. 
Then  remove  the  bullet  in  the  barrel  with  a 
cleaning  rod ;  or  extract  the  bullet  from  a  new 
cartridge,  inserting  the  shell  filled  with  powder 
into  the  chamber  back  of  the  bullet  and  fire  it  in 
the  usual  manner.  Do  not  use  BB  caps  in  any 
pistol  that  you  value.  They  are  loaded  with  ful- 
minate of  mercury  and  the  bullets  have  no  lubri- 
cation. These  caps  \vill  ruin  a  barrel  in  a  very 
short  time.  The  .22-cal.  conical  ball  caps  con- 
tain powder,  and  the  bullets  are  lubricated,  making 
this  a  much  better  cartridge ;  but  it  is  best  to 
adhere  to  the  regular  .22  ammunition  for  which 
the  arm  is  chambered. 

Never  under  any  circumstances  shoot  at  ob- 
jects on  the  heads  or  in  the  hands  of  persons. 
There  is  always  a  possibility  of  something  going- 
wrong,  and  such  risk  to  human  life  is  unjustifi- 
able, no  matter  how  skilful  you  may  be. 

Before  competing  in  any  match  be  sure  to 
thoroughly  familiarize  yourself  with  all  the  con- 
ditions. This  will  prevent  mistakes  which  fre- 


Hints  to  Beginners  i  \  5 

quently  disqualify  competitors  and  lead  to  disa- 
greeable controversies.  Avoid  getting  into  any 
arguments  or  disputes  with  range  officers,  or 
officials  in  charge  of  the  matches,  and  particu- 
larly while  the  matches  are  in  progress.  The 
range  officers  are  invariably  extremely  busy  and 
it  is  unjust  to  the  other  competitors  to  usurp 
more  of  their  time  than  is  your  proper  portion. 
They  are  generally  intelligent  men  who  have 
been  selected  because  of  their  fitness  for  the 
positions  they  hold,  and  their  decisions  and 
rulings  should  be  accepted  as  final.  If  for  good 
cause  you  should  wish  to  protest  against  any 
decision  or  ruling  of  an  officer  in  charge,  do  it 
in  a  quiet  and  gentlemanly  way,  and  whether  the 
rules  require  it  or  not,  such  protest  should  be 
made  in  writing. 

The  annual  matches  of  the  United  States 
Army,  the  National  Guard  and  Militia  organiz- 
ations are  generally  held  at  some  selected  state 
or  government  range,  and  at  a  certain  specified 
time.  All  the  contestants  are,  therefore,  shoot- 
ing on  the  same  ground  and  under  approxi- 
mately the  same  conditions.  All  the  revolver 
matches,  except  such  as  are  conducted  in  the 
armories  during  cold  weather,  are  shot  in  the 


1 1 6  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

open;  i.  e.  without  shelter  or  protection  from 
the  wind.  When  shooting  under  these  condi- 
tions in  the  glaring  sunlight,  it  is  a  decided  ad- 
vantage to  wear  suitable,  colored,  large-lensed 
spectacles  to  temper  the  bright  light  and  rest 
the  eyes.  The  sights  and  top  surface  of  the 
barrel  should  be  smoked  or  blackened  to  pre- 
vent the  reflection  of  light.  This  may  be 
accomplished  by  burning  a  small  piece  of  gum 
camphor,  which  makes  an  excellent  smoke  for 
this  purpose,  or  by  painting  with  " sight  black." 
A  wide  rimmed  hat  will  also  add  to  the  shoot- 
er's comfort  in  the  bright  sunlight.  Nailed  or 
rubber  soles  for  the  boots  or  shoes  are  to  be 
preferred  because  they  do  not  wear  slippery. 

In  squadded  competitions  the  weather  condi- 
tions must  be  accepted  as  they  are  at  the  time 
of  the  shooting.  In  re-entry  and  individual 
matches  the  time  of  shooting  is  sometimes  op- 
tional with  the  competitor.  When  this  is  the 
case  it  is  a  decided  advantage  to  select  a  time 
when  the  conditions  of  light,  wind,  etc.,  are 
most  favorable.  On  normal  clear  days,  the 
early  forenoon,  or  just  before  sunset,  are  gener- 
ally the  most  favorable  for  suitable  light.  The 
wind  generally  slacks  up  to  a  certain  degree 


Hints  to  Beginners  1 1 7 

also  just  before  sundown.  Immediately  after  a 
shower  the  conditions  are  sometimes  excellent. 
The  position  of  the  target  with  reference  to  the 
sun  must  also  be  taken  into  consideration.  It 
is  generally  best  to  shoot  directly  toward  or 
directly  away  from  the  sun.  Rapid-fire  shoot- 
ing in  a  gusty  wind  is  perhaps  more  difficult 
than  under  any  other  conditions.  When  the 
wind  is  steady  one  can  brace  up  against  it  and 
do  fair  shooting,  *but  when  it  is  unsteady  there 
will  invariably  be  some  wild  shots.  In  deliber- 
ate untimed  shooting  one  can  wait  for  a  lull  and 
get  the  shots  in  during  such  brief  intervals. 

In  practising  rapid-fire  shooting,  great  care  is 
necessary  in  order  to  prevent  accidents,  especially 
in  the  case  of  the  automatic  pistols,  which  remain 
cocked  and  ready  to  pull  the  trigger  after  each 
shot.  In  shooting  within  a  time  limit,  practise  to 
use  the  entire  period  allowed  and  endeavor  to  do 
the  best  possible  work,  getting  in  the  last  shot 
just  before  the  end  of  the  period. 

In  training  for  matches  be  abstemious  and 
maintain  good  physical  condition.  If  your  liver 
is  torpid  it  must  be  stimulated.  Do  not  tire 
yourself  with  too  much  practice  shooting.  One 
to  two  hours  practice  daily  is  ample, 


1 1 8  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

It  is  also  necessary  to  exercise  extreme  care  in 
practising  with  the  pocket  revolver.  Some  per- 
sons delight  in  practising  quick  drawing  from  the 
pocket  and  firing  one  or  more  shots.  This  is 
dangerous  work  for  the  novice  to  attempt.  Most 
of  the  pocket  weapons  are  double  action.  If  the 
finger  gets  into  the  trigger  guard  and  the  arm 
catches  in  the  pocket  when  drawing,  a  premature 
discharge  is  likely  to  result,  which  is  always  un- 
pleasant and  sometimes  disastrous.  Practice  in 
drawing  the  revolver  from  the  pocket  or  holster 
should  always  be  begun  with  the  arm  unloaded. 
Only  after  a  fair  degree  of  skill  is  acquired  should 
actual  shooting  be  attempted.  For  quick  drawing 
from  the  pocket  the  only  double-action  revolvers 
that  are  fairly  safe  to  handle  are  the  S.  &  W. 
Safety  Hammerless,  and  the  Colt  "  Double  Ac- 
tion," which  has  a  safety  notch  for  the  hammer  to 
rest  on. 

Drawing  a  revolver  from  a  holster  is  easier  and 
much  less  dangerous  than  drawing  it  from  the 
pocket.  Larger  and  more  practical  arms  are  gen- 
erally carried  in  holsters,  and  such  arms  should  be 
single  action  in  all  cases.  In  practising  with  a 
holster  weapon,  fasten  the  holster  on  the  belt,  and 
anchor  the  belt  so  that  the  holster  will  always  be 


Hints  fo  Beginners  1 i 9 

at  the  same  relative  position.  The  holster  should 
be  cut  out  so  that  the  forefinger  can  be  placed  on 
the  trigger  in  drawing.  Always  carry  a  loaded 
arm  with  the  hammer  resting  on  an  empty  cham- 
ber or  between  two  cartridges.  In  the  woods,  or 
in  localities  where  such  shooting  would  not  be 
likely  to  do  any  harm,  it  is  good  practice  to  shoot 
at  a  block  of  wood  drifting  down  in  the  current 
of  a  swift-flowing  stream,  at  a  block  of  wood  or  a 
tin  can  swinging  like  a  pendulum,  from  horseback 
at  stationary  and  moving  objects,  and  from  a 
moving  boat  at  similar  objects.  Such  practice  is 
largely  indulged  in  by  cowboys,  ranchmen,  and 
others  in  the  western  part  of  the  United  States. 
Many  of  the  published  reports  of  wonderful  shoot- 
ing of  this  character  are  gross  exaggerations. 
Such  shooting  is  generally  rapid-fire  work  with 
heavy  charges  at  extremely  short  range,  and  while 
it  is  to  be  commended  as  being  extremely  practi- 
cal, the  actual  performances  do  not  compare  fa- 
vorably with  similar  work  done  by  many  amateur 
shots. 

In  shooting  a  long  series  of  shots  with  black 
powder  ammunition,  when  the  rules  allow7  it,  the 
barrel  should  be  cleaned  and  examined  every  six 
or  ten  shots,  depending  upon  the  clean-shooting 


120  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

qualities  of  the  ammunition  used.  It  is  well  to 
examine  the  shells,  also,  and  note  if  the  primers 
have  been  struck  in  the  centre.  If  not,  then 
some  of  the  mechanism  is  out  of  line,  and  the 
parts  likely  to  have  caused  the  trouble  must  be 
cleaned. 

After  securing  good,  reliable  arms,  stick  to 
them.  Much  time  and  progress  is  frequently  lost 
by  buying  and  trying  different  arms,  ammunition, 
etc.  If,  in  any  of  your  shooting,  you  should  get 
results  that  are  peculiar  and  unsatisfactory,  make 
it  your  business  to  find  out  the  cause  of  the  diffi- 
culty, and  remedy  it  as  soon  as  possible.  "  Blazing 
away  "  a  large  quantity  of  ammunition  carelessly 
and  recklessly  is  absolutely  valueless  as  prac- 
tice, and  is  a  waste  of  time.  Give  your  whole 
attention  to  your  work,  and  try  your  very  best  to 
place  every  shot  in  the  centre  of  the  bull's-eye.  It 
is  important  to  keep  a  full,  detailed  record  of  all 
your  shooting,  for  comparison,  study,  etc.  A  suit- 
able book  should  be  provided  for  this  purpose. 
Do  not  fall  into  the  habit  of  preserving  only  a 
few  of  the  best  scores ;  but  make  it  a  rule  to  keep 
a  record  of  every  shot,  and  figure  out  the  average 
of  each  day's  work.  The  more  painstaking  and 
systematic  you  are,  the  more  rapid  will  be  your 


Hints  to  Beginners  121 

progress.  By  careful,  intelligent  work,  it  is  pos- 
sible to  become  a  fair  shot  in  three  or  four  months, 
and  a  first-rate  shot  in  a  year. 

After  a  number  of  good  shots  have  been  devel- 
oped in  any  club,  there  is  generally  a  desire  to 
measure  skill  with  the  members  of  another  club. 
This  leads  to  friendly  matches,  which  are  usually 
very  enjoyable  and  instructive.  Shooting  in  a 
match  places  a  man  under  a  certain  strain  which 
affects  individuals  quite  differently ;  some  become 
nervous  and  shoot  poorly  when  the  best  work  is 
expected  of  them,  while  others  are  braced  up  by 
the  occasion  and  shoot  brilliantly. 

Cleaning  and  Care  of  Arms.  —  To  maintain 
the  highest  efficiency  in  an  arm,  it  is  necessary 
to  keep  it  in  perfect  order.  The  working  parts 
must  be  kept  clean  and  oiled,  and  the  barrel 
should  receive  special  attention  and  care.  The 
residue  of  some  powders  is  less  injurious  than 
that  of  others,  but  the  arm  should  in  all  cases  be 
cleaned  and  oiled  immediately  after  it  has  been 
used.  The  cleaning  should  be  very  thorough. 
Heavy  new  cotton  flannel  is  excellent  for  this 
purpose.  It  should  be  perfectly  dry.  Much  of 
the  fouling  will  rub  off  without  moisture,  but  if 
jnoisture  is  necessary  to  soften  the  fouling  in 


122  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

places,  use  a  thin  oil.  Never  use  water,  ordinary 
kerosene,  or  similar  fluids.  For  certain  kinds  of 
smokeless  powders,  cleaning  fluids  have  been  pre- 
pared that  give  good  results.  Be  careful  to  use 
the  special  fluid  that  is  adapted  to  the  particular 
powder  used,  as  the  wrong  fluid  may  do  harm. 
For  cleaning  the  inside  of  a  barrel  a  wooden  rod 
is  best.  It  should  have  a  knob  on  the  end  of 
such  size  that  one  or  two  thicknesses  of  the  cotton 
flannel  around  it  will  fit  the  bore  snug  and  tight. 
Square  patches  of  suitable  size  may  then  be  cut 
in  quantities  and  used  as  required.  Clean  from 
the  breech  end  of  the  barrel  whenever  possible. 
The  slightest  burr  or  injury  at  the  muzzle  will 
spoil  the  accuracy  of  an  otherwise  good  barrel. 
Particular  care  should  be  exercised,  especially  if  a 
steel  rod  with  a  slot  is  used,  to  prevent  the  wad 
from  "jamming  "in  the  barrel.  Continue  clean- 
ing the  inside  of  the  barrel  until  tight-fitting 
patches,  when  withdrawn,  show  no  discoloration, 
and  the  barrel  is  warm  from  the  friction  of  the 
cleaning.  Then  saturate  a  fresh  patch  with  good 
oil  and  pass  it  through  the  barrel  several  times, 
making  sure  that  the  entire  surface  of  the  grooves 
has  been  thoroughly  coated  with  oil.  After  the 
cylinder  and  other  parts  are  cleaned,  they  should 


Hints  to  Beginners  123 

also  be  oiled.  A  good  oil  for  cleaning  is  "  Three 
in  One"  ;  for  preventing  rust,  use  refined  sperm 
oil.  Plenty  of  oil  should  be  kept  on  the  circle  of 
teeth  in  which  the  pawl  engages  in  revolving  the 
cylinder.  If  smokeless  ammunition  is  used,  the  oil 
should  be  removed  from  the  interior  of  the  bar- 
rel and  the  chambers  of  the  cylinder,  a  day  or  two 
after  the  first  cleaning,  and  fresh  oil  applied. 

In  warm  weather,  when  the  air  is  humid,  arms 
rust  very  quickly.  If  they  are  not  kept  in  an  air- 
tight compartment,  they  should  be  inspected,  and, 
if  necessary,  oiled  every  few  days.  Under  ordi- 
nary conditions,  a  thorough  cleaning  and  oiling 
will  preserve  the  arm  in  good  condition  for  a 
month.  If  it  is  desired  to  store  the  arms,  or  pro- 
tect them  for  long  periods  of  time,  the  interior 
surfaces  of  the  frame,  and  all  the  mechanism, 
should  be  carefully  cleaned  and  oiled,  and  then 
the  entire  space  within  the  frame  filled  solid  with 
a  non-liquid  grease,  like  the  Winchester  "gun 
grease."  After  cleaning  the  barrel  and  cylinder, 
the  bore  and  chambers  in  the  cylinder  should 
also  be  filled  solid  with  the  grease.  This  treat- 
ment excludes  the  air,  and  absolutely  prevents 
oxidation.  The  exterior  should  be  oiled,  and  then 
coated  heavily  with  ugun  grease."  Place  the  arm 


124  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

in  a  dry  woollen  cloth,  or  flannel  cover,  and  wrap 
it  up  in  a  double  thickness  of  new  manila  paper 
of  the  weight  of  ordinary  writing  paper.  Repeat 
this,  wrapping  twice  more,  each  wrapping  inde- 
pendent of  the  other.  Then  lay  the  arm  in  a  dry 
place,  where  the  temperature  will  always  be  uni- 
form, and  not  so  warm  as  to  melt  the  grease.  An 
arm  protected  in  this  way  will  remain  in  good 
condition  for  a  period  of  two  years. 

RELOADING  AMMUNITION 

The  factory-loaded  ammunition  for  pistols  and 
revolvers  is  so  excellent  that  little  is  to  be  gained 
by  hand  loading.  It  is  sometimes  desirable,  how- 
ever, to  use  special  loads  that  are  not  furnished 
by  the  factories,  and  such  ammunition  must  be 
loaded  by  hand.  Then,  too,  many  persons  prefer 
to  reload  ammunition  for  economical  reasons. 
In  order  to  do  this  successfully,  considerable  ex- 
perience and  skill  are  necessary.  The  first  attempts 
at  reloading  are  invariably  unsatisfactory  and  dis- 
appointing, and  sometimes  result  disastrously. 
Extreme  care  and  close  attention  to  details  are 
absolutely  essential,  especially  if  smokeless  pow- 
ders are  used.  It  is  much  the  safest  and  best 
plan  for  those  who  are  unfamiliar  with  reloading 


Reloading  Ammunition  125 

to  observe  and  study  the  methods  used  by  skilled 
persons,  and,  if  possible,  have  their  first  work 
supervised  by  an  experienced  person. 

Primers.  —  The  primers  ave  made  of  copper 
and  brass  and  are  adapted  for  either  black  or 
smokeless  powders.  The  primers  for  pistol  and 
revolver  cartridges  are  made  more  sensitive  than 
for  rifle  cartridges.  If,  by  mistake,  rifle-cartridge 
primers  are  used,  there  are  likely  to  be  many  mis- 
fires. The  original  pasteboard  boxes  in  which 
the  cartridges  or  shells  are  purchased  invariably 
have  labels  designating  the  kind  of  primer  that 
should  be  used  in  reloading  them.  The  quality 
of  the  primers  affects  the  results  to  a  much  greater 
degree  than  most  persons  imagine,  especially  in 
reduced  or  gallery  charges.  In  handling  or  in 
transportation  the  fulminate  is  sometimes  loosened, 
dropping  out  of  some  of  the  primers  and  leaving 
them  considerably  weaker  than  the  rest.  On 
opening  a  new  box,  empty  it  carefully,  and  if  any 
appreciable  quantity  of  loose  fulminate  is  found, 
the  primers  should  not  be  used  for  ammunition 
intended  for  fine  shooting. 

Shells.  —  The  shells  are  generally  made  of  brass 
with  a  solid  head  containing  a  pocket  for  a  primer. 
There  is  considerable  variation  in  the  thickness 


126  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

of  the  metal  from  which  shells  are  made  by  the 
various  manufacturers.  Since  the  outside  dimen- 
sions must  be  the  same  in  order  to  fit  the  chamber, 
it  follows  that  the  inside  diameter  of  the  shells  will 
vary.  When  the  shell  is  to  be  crimped  a  slight 
difference  in  the  size  is  unimportant,  but  for  fine 
target  work  using  black  powder,  it  is  preferable 
not  to  crimp  the  shell.  In  the  latter  case  the  bullet 
must  fit  sufficiently  tight  so  that  it  \vill  not  be 
dislodged  by  the  recoil  of  the  arm.  The  size  of 
the  bore,  when  adapted  to  the  same  cartridge, 
varies  a  trifle,  also,  with  different  manufacturers. 
With  the  slight  difference  in  the  size  of  the  shells 
it  is  therefore  generally  possible  to  select  a  make 
of  shell  the  size  of  which  will  be  just  right  to  hold 
snugly  in  position  by  friction  a  bullet  that  exactly 
fits  the  bore  of  the  arm.  These  refinements  in 
the  fit  of  the  bullet  and  shell  are  important 
in  securing  good  results  with  reduced  loads.  In 
pistol  and  revolver  shooting,  the  shells  may  be  re- 
loaded many  times  with  smokeless  powders.  The 
small  charge  and  the  consequent  reduced  pressure 
do  not  seem  to  render  the  shells  brittle  and  un- 
suitable for  reloading,  as  is  the  case  with  the 
shells  of  many  of  the  high-pressure  rifle  cartridges. 
Bullets. —  In  the  large  ammunition  factories 


Reloading  Ammunition  127 

the  bullets  are  made  by  the  swaging  process  with 
heavy  machinery.  They  are,  in  consequence,  very 
uniform  in  density  and  size.  They  are  packed 
in  boxes  of  twenty-five  and  fifty  and  are  lubricated 
ready  for  use.  While  very  few  persons  are  able  to 
mould  bullets  as  good  as  those  factory-made, 
when  bullets  of  a  particular  shape,  weight,  or  tem- 
per are  desired,  they  must  be  moulded.  The 
Ideal  Manufacturing  Company's  dipper  and  melt- 
ing pot1  are  useful  for  this  purpose.  The  best 
quality  of  lead  in  bars  or  pigs  should  be  used. 
If  the  bullets  are  to  be  hardened.  "  block  tin," 
which  may  be  had  at  any  hardware  store,  is  al- 
loyed with  the  lead.  Weigh  the  proper  quantity 
of  each  metal  to  give  the  desired  proportions. 
Melt  the  lead  in  the  pot  over  a  steady  fire  and 
then  add  the  tin.2  After  both  are  melted  immerse 
the  dipper  and  allow  it  to  acquire  the  temperature 
of  the  melted  lead.  Then  fill  the.  dipper  and, 
with  the  nozzle  horizontal,  raise  it  two  or  three 
inches  above  the  surface  of  the  lead  in  the  pot. 

1  The  Ideal  Manufacturing  Company  of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  publishes  a 
handbook  containing  full  information  in  regard  to  moulding  bullets,  re- 
loading ammunition,  tables,  and  other  useful  information  relating  to 
shooting. 

8  At  this  stage  add  a  small  quantity  of  tallow  or  beeswax  to  the  molten 
metal  (about  the  size  of  a  .45-cal.  round  bullet)  and  stir  briskly  with  the 
dipper.  This  will  flux  the  mixture  and  make  it  flow  better. 


J28  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

With  the  mould  in  the  other  hand,  turn  it  side- 
wise  and  bring  the  pouring  hole  of  the  mould  to 
the  nozzle  of  the  dipper.  Then,  with  the  mould 
and  dipper  in  contact,  tilt  or-  turn  both  in  this 
position  until  the  dipper  is  over  the  mould  and  the 
nozzle  vertical  as  shown. 

The   weight   or   pressure  of   the   lead    in   the 
dipper  is  thus  utilized  to  force  the  lead  into  and 


FIG.  53. —  Moulding  Bullets. 

completely  fill  the  corners  of  the  mould.  It  will  be  < 
necessary  to  mould  forty  or  fifty  bullets  before  the 
mould  acquires  the  proper  temperature  and  casts 
first-class  bullets.  All  imperfect  bullets  should  be 
thrown  back  into  the  melting-pot.  Experience 
has  shown  that  the  best  results  are  obtained  when 
the  lead  and  mould  are  such  a  temperature  that 
two  or  three  seconds  elapse  before  the  lead  solidi- 


Reloading  Ammunition  129 

fies  in  the  pouring  hole  after  the  nozzle  has  been 
removed  from  it.  Do  not  allow  the  lead  to  get 
red-hot,  as  it  oxidizes  very  rapidly  and  more  dross 
forms  on  its  surface  at  that  temperature.  The 
dross  should  be  skimmed  off  and  not  allowed  to 
collect  in  the  dipper.  A  new  mould  will  not  cast 
perfect  bullets  until  the  surfaces  in  contact  with 
the  lead  are  free  from  oil  and  have  become  oxi- 
dized, assuming  a  deep  blue  color.  Provide  a  soft 
surface  for  the  bullets  to  fall  upon  after  releasing 
them  from  the  mould,  as  they  are  easily  deformed 
while  hot.  The  sliding  top  or  "cut-off"  should 
be  operated  by  pressing  down  the  lever  end  on  a 
board  or  table,  or  striking  the  lever  with  a  small 
wooden  mallet.  The  mould  is  then  opened,  and 
the  bullet  drops  out.  If  the  bullet  sticks  in  the 
mould,  strike  the  empty  half  of  the  mould  on  the 
outside,  directing  the  blow  toward  the  bullet. 
This  will  jar  the  bullet  out  of  the  mould  without 
difficulty.  Never  strike  the  mould  with  a  hammer 
or  any  hard  substance,  and  never  attempt  to  pry  a 
bullet  out  of  the  mould  or  touch  the  interior 
surface  with  anything  that  will  mar  it.  The  least 
indentation  of  th.e  sharp  edges  of  the  mould  will 
cause  the  bullets  to  stick  and  make  them  imper- 
fect. After  using,  oil  the  interior  and  exterior 


130  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

surfaces  and  joints  while  warm,  wrap  in  a  dry 
cloth,  and  keep  in  a  dry  place  where  it  will  not 
rust.  The  safest  way  is  to  fill  the  inside  of  the 
mould  solid  with  "gun  grease"  after  it  has 
cooled. 

The  fit  of  the  bullets  is  very  important. 
Nearly  all  the  bullets  for  revolver  cartridges  have 
been  designed  to  be  used  with  black  powder. 
Many  of  them  are  slightly  under  size  and  have 
concave  bases  which  upset  sufficiently,  on  the 
ignition  of  the  regulation  powder  charge,  to  fill 
the  grooves  of  the  barrel.  Reduced  charges  of 
black  powder,  and  smokeless  powders,  even  in  full 
charges,  seldom  upset  the  bases  of  these  bullets, 
and  the  powder  gas  escapes  around  the  sides  of 
the  bullet,  which  is  known  as  "gas  cutting." 
This  is  fatal  to  accuracy.  For  smokeless  powders 
and  reduced  loads  the  concave  cavity  at  the  base 
of  the  bullet  must  be  large  enough  to  reduce  the 
thickness  of  the  outer  rim  of  the  bullet  and 
weaken  it  so  it  will  be  expanded  sufficiently  by  the 
powder  to  fill  the  grooves  of  the  barrel ;  or  the 
diameter  of  the  bullet  should  be  increased  so  as 
to  produce  the  same  effect.  A  simple  test  to 
determine  the  fit  of  the  bullet  is  to  force  it  into 
a  clean  barrel,  and  then  hold  the  barrel  in  the 


Reloading  Ammunition  13* 

direction  of  a  window  or  bright  light.  If  light 
can  be  seen  in  any  of  the  grooves  around  the 
bullet,  it  is  too  small  for  smokeless  powder.  The 
remedy  is  to  have  the  bullet  mould  reamed  out 
and  enlarged  so  the  bullets  will  be  the  proper  size. 
To  determine  the  actual  diameter  of  the  bore  of 
a  pistol  or  revolver,  oil  the  inside  of  the  barrel 
liberally  and  then  force  a  bullet  into  it  a  couple 
of  inches.  With  a  short  wooden  cleaning  rod, 
hold  the  bullet  in  that  position  while  you  drive 
against  it  with  another  rod  from  the  opposite 
direction,  swaging  it  so  as  to  fill  the  barrel.  This 
must  be  done  gently  and  carefully  so  as  not  to 
strain  or  injure  the  barrel.  The  bullet  is  then 
driven  out  and  carefully  measured  with  a  microm- 
eter gauge.  Many  who  mould  their  own  bullets 
prefer  to  order  the  mould  to  cast  the  bullets  the 
exact  size  to  fit  the  barrel ;  while  others  prefer  to 
have  the  mould  cast  the  bullet  one  or  two  thou- 
sandths of  an  inch  too  large,  and  then  pass  them 
through  a  sizing  tool,  reducing  them  to  the 
correct  size.  The  latter  method  insures  absolute 
uniformity.  For  smokeless  powders  the  bullets 
are  generally  cast  a  little  harder  than  for  black 
powder,  the  proportions  being  from  30  to  i,  to  20 
to  i,  of  lead  and  tin  respectively.  To  secure 


132  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

good  results,  the  bullets  should  not  vary  more 
than  -21JQ-  in  weight. 

The  next  operation  after  moulding  the  bullets 
is  to  lubricate  them.  A  good  lubricant  may  be 
prepared  by  melting  together  i^  Ib.  of  Japan 
wax,  i  Ib.  of  mutton  tallow,  and  i  Ib.  of  vaseline. 
The  bullets  should  be  set  in  a  shallow  pan,  bases 
down,  and  with  a  small  space  separating  them. 
The  lubricant  can  then  be  poured  around  them 
until  it  rises  high  enough  to  fill  the  top  cannelure. 
After  cooling,  the  bullets  are  cut  out  of  the 
lubricant  by  forcing  them  into  the  mouth  of  a 
specially  prepared  shell  with  the  top  or  head  cut 
off.  Each  bullet  is  picked  up  in  this  way  and 
then  pushed  out  with  a  round  stick.  Any  lubri- 
cant on  the  base  of  the  bullet  should  be  removed 
with  a  cloth  before  loading.  An  excellent 
machine  for  lubricating  bullets  is  made  by  the 
Ideal  Manufacturing  Company.  The  machine 
sizes  and  lubricates  the  bullet  at  one  operation. 
It  is  rapid,  clean,  and  performs  the  work  perfectly. 

Powders. — •  American  powder  manufacturers 
have  no  uniform  practice  in  regard  to  designating 
the  different  grades  of  powder,  sizes  of  grains, 
etc.  The  powders  that  give  the  best  results 
under  certain  conditions  must  therefore  be  classi- 


Reloading  Ammunition  133 

fied.  The  following  black  powders  are  best  suited 
for  ammunition  in  which  the  charge  is  ten  to 
twenty  grains :  — 

American  Powder  Mills  Rifle  Cartridge  No.  4. 

Hazard  Powder  Company's  "  Kentucky  Rifle 
F  F  G." 

E.  I.  Dupont  de  Nemours  &  Company's  "Du- 
pont  Rifle  F  F  G." 

Laflin  &  Rand  Powder  Company's  "  Orange 
Rifle  Extra  F  F  G." 

King  Powder  Company's  "  Semi-smokeless 
F  F  G." 

When  the  charge  is  less  than  ten  grains  in 
weight,  one  size  finer  grain  of  the  above  powders 
should  be  used;  and  for  charges  heavier  than 
twenty  grains,  one  size  coarser  grain  will  give  the 
best  results. 

For  reduced  or  gallery  charges,  the  high-grade 
quick-burning  shotgun  powders  are  sometimes 
used,  such  as  "  Hazard's  Electric,"  "  Dupont's 
Diamond  Grain,"  etc.  These  powders  should  not 
be  used  in  full  charges,  and  if  compressed  in  the 
shell  will  give  very  irregular  shooting. 

Smokeless  powder  differs  from  black  not  only 
in  composition,  but  also  in  the  phenomena  that 
attend  combustion.  Special  conditions  are  there- 


134  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

fore  created  which  have  an  important  bearing  on 
the  results.  Smokeless  powders  are  divided  into 
two  general  classes,  designated  as  "  bulk "  and 
"  dense,"  the  former  having  approximately  the 
same  strength  as  an  equal  bulk  of  black  powder, 
while  the  same  quantity  by  bulk  of  the  latter  may 
have  from  five  to  ten  times  the  strength  of 
black  powder.  The  bulk  powders  may  be  used 
very  much  the  same  as  black  powder,  except  that 
they  should  never  be  compressed.  No  air  space 
is  required  between  the  powder  and  the  bullet. 
Dupont's  Smokeless  Rifle  Powder  No.  2  and 
Hazard's  Smokeless  Rifle  Powder  No.  2  are  good 
examples  of  the  bulk  powders. 

The  dense  powders,  such  as  clu  Pont  &  Co.'s 
Bull's-eye,  Walsrode,  Ballastite,  and  others,  on 
account  of  their  concentrated  form,  must  be  ma- 
nipulated with  great  care  and  precision.  The  same 
quantity  by  bulk  as  black  powder  of  any  of  these 
would  in  many  cases  cause  disaster.  Special 
shells  with  an  annular  crease,  which  only  admits 
the  bullet  a  certain  distance  into  the  mouth  of 
the  shell,  and  providing  an  air  space,  must  in  all 
cases  be  used  with  these  powders.  Some  varie- 
ties of  smokeless  powders,  like  Walsrode,  require 
a  certain  amount  of  confinement  in  order  to  secure 


Reloading  Ammunition  135 

complete  combustion,  and  do  not  give  good  results 
unless  the  shell  is  crimped  securely  to  the  bullet. 
A  table  giving  the  proper  charges  is  supplied  by 
all  the  manufacturers  of  smokeless  powders,  suit- 
able for  revolver  and  pistol  shooting.  These 
charges  should  in  no  case  be  increased.  If  it  is 
desired  to  adapt  a  smokeless  charge  to  a  special 
bullet,  which  gives  good  results  with  black  pow- 
der, the  approximate  equivalent  in  smokeless  can 
easily  be  calculated  from  the  powder  company's 
table  of  charges.  If  the  calculated  charge  does 
not  give  good  results,  compare  the  penetration  of 
the  smokeless  charge  with  the  black  powder 
charge,  and  modify  the  former  until  it  gives  ap- 
proximately the  same  penetration  as  the  latter. 
If  this  does  not  correct  the  difficulty,  the  fit  of  the 
bullet  should  be  investigated,  and  possibly  it  may 
have  to  be  increased  in  size  slightly  and  hardened 
before  the  best  results  will  be  obtained. 

No  attempt  should  be  made  to  secure  higher 
velocities  or  greater  penetration  with  the  ordinary 
lead  bullet  than  is  obtained  with  black  powder. 
Such  results  can  only  be  produced  with  hard 
alloy  or  jacketed  bullets,  special  rifling,  etc.,  and 
in  arms  designed  to  withstand  the  severe  condi- 
tions incident  to  such  augmented  effects.  Exces- 


136'  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

sive  charges  in  regulation  arms,  besides  being 
extremely  dangerous,  are  likely  to  cause  the  bullet 
to  strip  the  rifling  and  lead  the  barrel. 

Reloading.  —  Suitable  tools  for  reloading  are 
furnished  by  the  Ideal  Manufacturing  Company, 
Smith  &  Wesson,  and  the  Winchester  Repeating 
Arms  Company.  These  usually  consist  of  one  or 
more  combination  tools,  with  which  the  various 
operations  of  reloading  may  be  performed  with 
rapidity  and  precision.  In  reloading  ammunition 
the  one  thing  to  be  borne  in  mind  above  all  else  is 
uniformity.  No  matter  how  excellent  may  be  the 
quality  of  the  powder,  or  how  perfect  the  bullets,  if 
there  is  any  variation  in  quantity,  size,  etc.,  the 
results  will  surely  be  irregular  and  disappointing. 
The  bullets  should  be  of  the  same  diameter  and 
weight,  the  mouth  of  the  shells  of  uniform  size,  the 
powder  accurately  measured,  and  all  the  details 
in  the  operation  of  loading  each  shell  should  be 
as  nearly  identical  as  it  is  possible  to  make  them. 

Shells  that  have  been  loaded  with  black  pow- 
der will  corrode  very  rapidly  if  not  properly  and 
promptly  cared  for.  The  primer  should  be  ex- 
tracted from  the  shells  as  soon  as  practicable 
after  firing.  The  shells  should  then  be  im- 
mersed in  hot  soap-suds  and  stirred  around 


Reloading  Ammunition  137 

briskly  until  thoroughly  washed.  If  it  is  desired 
to  brighten  them  or  to  remove  corrosion,  add 
one  tablespoonful  of  sulphuric  acid  to  each 
quart  of  suds.  Rinse  the  shells  in  two  clean 
boiling  waters  by  agitating  them  as  before,  and 
then  dry  them  by  exposure  to  sunlight  or  mild 
heat.  Intense  heat  will  draw  the  temper  of  the 
shells  and  ruin  them.  If  the  shells  were  origi- 
nally crimped  they  will  have  to  be  opened  with 
the  tool  so  as  to  admit  the  bullet  without  shav- 
ing off  or  abrading  its  surface.  The  Ideal  Man- 
ufacturing Company  can  furnish  a  special  plug, 
screwed  to  the  tool,  by  which  the  primer  may 
be  extracted  and  the  mouth  of  the  shell  opened 
in  one  operation,  the  tool  automatically  releas- 
ing the  shell  from  the  plug,  thus  making  the 
operation  of  opening  the  mouth  of  the  shell 
rapid  and  easy.  In  the  case  of  smokeless  pow- 
ders the  cleaning  of  the  shells  is  not  so  import- 
ant, but  is  desirable,  as  some  of  the  powders 
leave  a  sticky  residue  which  interferes  more  or 
less  with  the  reloading  process. 

After  the  shells  have  been  cleaned  and  dried 
the  new  primers  may  be  placed  in  position.  In 
doing  this  be  sure  to  seat  them  firmly  on  the 
bottom  of  the  pocket  and  below  the  surface  of 


138  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

the  head  of  the  shell.     This   will   prevent  mis- 
fires and  premature  explosions. 

The  measuring  of  the  powder  charge  is  the 
most  important  detail  in  reloading  ammunition. 
There  are  several  devices  to  measure  powder 
that  are  convenient  and  fairly  accurate.  Those 
furnished  by  the  Ideal  Manufacturing  Company, 
designated  as  No.  5  or  No.  6,  and  those  made 
by  H.  M.  Pope  and  D.  W.  King,  Jr.,  are  the 
best.  The  usual  method  is  to  measure  the 
powder  with  a  charge  cup  that  is  supplied  with 
the  reloading  tools.  A  quantity  of  the  powder 
should  be  poured  from  the  can  into  a  small  box 
and  the  charge  cup  dipped  into  it  and  filled. 
With  a  thin  lead-pencil  tap  the  cup  lightly  two  or 
three  times  on  the  side  to  settle  the  powder  uni- 
formly. If  the  powder  settles  below  the  top  of  the 
cup  dip  the  cup  into  the  powder  again  and  fill  it, 
being  careful  not  to  tilt  the  cup  so  as  to  disturb 
the  powder  already  in  it.  Strike  off  the  powder 
in  the  cup  with  the  pencil  and  pour  it  into  the 
shell.  By  measuring  the  powder  in  this  way 
and  verifying  it  by  weighing  each  charge  in  a 
delicate  balance,  a  high  degree  of  skill  may  be 
acquired  in  a  short  time.  Ordinary  revolver 
charges  should  not  vary  more  than  one-tenth  of 


Reloading  Ammunition  1 39 

a  grain  in  weight.  The  charge  cup  method  is 
preferred  by  many  in  measuring  smokeless  pow- 
ders, as  some  varieties,  being  coarse  grained  and 
light  in  weight,  are  liable  to  form  large  voids. 
Such  voids  are  invariably  corrected  when  the 
charge  cup  is  tapped  and  the  powder  settles. 

After  the  desired  quantity  of  shells  has  been 
primed  and  charged  with  powder,  the  bullets, 
properly  lubricated,  are  started  into  the  shells 
by  hand  and  then  one  by  one  the  cartridges  are 
placed  in  the  reloading  tool,  which  seats  the 
bullet  and  crimps  the  shell. 

In  reduced  charges  when  the  bullet  is  seated 
below  the  mouth  of  the  shell,  the  tool  should 
be  adjusted  so  as  not  to  crimp  the  shell.  The 
black  powder  gallery  loads,  as  given  under 
"  Ammunition,"  are  entirely  satisfactory  and  are 
fairly  accurate  up  to  distances  of  twenty  yards. 
Fired  from  a  6A-inch  barrel  they  will  generally 
shoot  within  a  li-inch  circle  at  that  distance. 
In  loading  cartridges  in  which  the  shells  are  not 
crimped  on  the  bullets,  it  is  very  important  that 
both  the  shells  and  the  bullets  should  be  abso- 
lutely uniform  in  size,  so  that  the  fit  of  the  bul- 
lets in  the  shell  will  be  the  same  in  all  cases. 
By  reloading  some  of  the  shells  oftener  than 


140  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

others  or  with  different  charges,  the  expansion 
of  the  shells  will  vary  and  the  bullets  will  fit 
more  or  less  tightly.  Such  ammunition  when 
fired  will  vary  in  elevation.  It  is  well  to  begin 
with  new  shells  using  the  same  load  Jn  them  and 
reloading  them  the  same  number  of  times. 
Even  with  the  same  charge  and  under  appar- 
ently identical  conditions  a  few  of  the  shells  will 
expand  differently.  This  variation  will  however 
be  readily  discovered  in  seating  the  bullets  with 
the  tool.  Cartridges  in  which  the  bullets  seat 
with  greater  or  less  effort  than  the  average 
should  be  carefully  separated  from  the  rest  and 
not  used  when  fine  shooting  is  required. 

In  reloading  ammunition  with  round  bullets 
the  neck  of  the  bullet  should  be  up,  opposite 
the  powder  side.  In  this  position  the  neck  is 
always  in  sight,  and  any  turning  of  the  bullet  so 
as  to  bring  the  neck  on  the  side  and  in  contact 
with  the  barrel  will  be  apparent  and  can  be  cor- 
rected. All  round  bullets  should  be  at  least 
i/iooo  of  an  inch  larger  in  diameter  than  the 
bottom  of  the  grooves  of  the  barrel.  This 
causes  them  to  deform  slightly  on  the  circle  of 
contact  with  the  barrel,  and  creates  a  narrow 
cylindrical  surface  around  the  bullet,  securing  a 


Reloading  Ammunition  141 

better  bearing  and  greatly  increasing  the  accur- 
acy. It  also  insures  the  tight  fitting  of  the  bul- 
let in  the  shell,  preventing  it  from  being  dis- 
placed by  the  recoil.  If  round  bullets  fit  loose- 
ly, or  if  there  is  the  slightest  imperfection  in  the 
bullet  where  it  comes  in  contact  with  the  shell 
or  the  barrel,  " gas-cutting"  will  result  and  hot 
lubricant  is  liable  to  pass  by  the  bullet  into  the 
powder  charge.  In  either  case  the  accuracy  is 
impaired. 

In  reduced  loads  when  black  powder  or 
"bulk"  smokeless  powder  is  used,  the  bullets 
may  be  seated  so  as  to  just  touch  the  powder 
charge;  never  so  as  to  compress  it.  When 
" dense"  smokeless  powder  is  used  a  suitable  air 
space  must  always  be  provided.  This  is  neces- 
sary both  when  round  or  conical  bullets  are 
used.  With  all  forms  of  conical  bullets,  how- 
ever, and  when  using  either  "dense"  or  "bulk" 
smokeless  powder,  in  full  or  reduced  charges, 
better  results  are  generally  obtained  by  seating 
the  bullets  in  the  regulation  position  and  crimp- 
ing the  shells  moderately  and  uniformly  on  the 
middle  of  the  front  band  of  the  bullet. 

When  it  is  desired  for  any  reason  to  seat  the 
bullets  below  the  mouth  of  the  shell  in  ammu- 


142 


The  Pistol  and  Revolver 


nition  loaded  with  " dense"  smokeless  powder, 
the  amount  of  the  air  space  will  affect  the 
accuracy  to  an  extraordinary  degree.  The  po 
sition  of  the  bullets  in  the  shells  as  given  in  the 
following  table  will  provide  approximately  the 
right  air  space  and  give  good  results: 


Case  or  Shell. 

im,  of  Bullet 
n  Inches. 

Bullet  and 
Weight 
in  Grains. 

Brand  of  Smokeless  Powder  and 
Weight  in  Grains. 

3p  of  Bullet 
;low  Mouth 
of  Shell. 

5 

HCQ 

.38  S.  &  W.  Special. 

.361 

Round  72  

du  Pont  &  Co.'s  Bull's-eye,  2.0.  . 

TIT  in. 

.44  S.  &  W.  Russian 

•  431 

121   

2.3.. 

TO  in. 

.44  S.  &W.  Russian 

.430 

Conical  160  

"        2.4.. 

iin. 

.44  S.  &  W.  Russian 

.430 

Conical  gal.  no 

2.3.. 

iin. 

.45  Colt  

456 

Round  145.. 

"                         "25 

•B  in 

.45  Colt  

•  456 

Conical  144  .... 

du  Pont  &  Co.'s  Shot-gun,  8.0.  . 

Flush 

When  round  bullets  are  used,  the  lubricant 
must  be  applied  after  they  have  been  seated. 
This  can  best  be  done  with  a  small  brush.  The 
brush  is  dipped  into  melted  lubricant  and  then 
passed  around  the  bullet  where  it  is  in  contact 
with  the  shell.  Too  much  lubricant  is  undesir- 
able. At  least  three-quarters  of  the  surface  of 
the  bullet  should  project  above  the  lubricant. 
By  keeping  the  lubricant  at  a  constant  temper- 
ature, the  quantity  adhering  to  the  brush  will 
be  approximately  the  same  and  the  results 
uniform. 


APPENDIX 

ANNUAL    CHAMPIONSHIP    MATCHES    OF    THE 
UNITED   STATES   REVOLVER  ASSOCIATION. 

MATCH  A-REVOLVER  CHAMPIONSHIP.-Open  to  everybody; 
distance,  50  yards;  50  shots  on  the  Standard  American  target,  8-inch 
bull's-eye,  10  ring  3.36  inches;  arm,  any  revolver  within  the  rules; 
ammunition,  any;  the  score  must  be  completed  in  one  hour  or  less 
from  the  time  of  firing  the  first  shot;  entrance  fee,  $3;  no  re- 
entries. 

PRIZES:  First,  the  championship  silver  cup  (value,  $200),  to  be  held 
by  the  winner  until  the  next  annual  competition;  inscribed  on 
the  cup,  in  raised  ornamental  letters,  is,  "  This  Cup  Represents  the 
Revolver  Championship  of  the  United  States  of  America " ;  the 
name  of  the  winner,  the  year  and  the  score  are  also  engraved  on 
the  cup  each  year;  to  the  winner  is  also  awarded  a  gold  medal 
(value,  $25),  with  the  same  inscription  on  the  reverse  side  as  ap- 
pears on  the  cup. 

Second,  a  gold  and  silver  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse 
side. 

Third,  a  silver  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse  side. 

Fourth,  a  silver  and  bronze  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse 
side. 

Fifth,  a  bronze  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse  side. 

A  bronze  honor  medal  of  the  same  design  is  also  awarded  to 
every  competitor,  not  a  prize  winner,  making  a  score  of  425  or 
better. 

MATCH  B-PISTOL  CHAMPIONSHIP.-Open  to  everybody;  dis- 
tance, 50  yards;  50  shots  on  same  target  as  Match  A;  arm,  any 
pistol  within  the  rules;  ammunition,  any;  the  score  must  be  com- 
pleted in  one  hour  or  less  from  the  time  of  firing  the  first  shot; 
entrance  tee,  $3;  no  re-entries. 

PRIZES:  First,  the  championship  silver  cup  (value,  $175),  to  be  held 
by  the  winner  until  the  next  annual  competition;  inscribed  on  the 
cup,  in  raised  ornamental  letters,  is,  "  This  Cup  Represents  the 
Pistol  Championship  of  the  United  States  of  America";  the  name 
of  the  winner,  the  year  and  the  score  are  also  engraved  on  the  cup 
each  year;  to  the  winner  is  also  awarded  a  gold  medal  (value,  $25), 
with  the  same  inscription  on  the  reverse  side  as  appears  on  the  cup. 


i44  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

Second,  a  silver  and  gold  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse 
side. 

Third,  a  silver  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse  side. 

Fourth,  a  bronze  and  silver  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse 
side. 

Fifth,  a  bronze  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse  side. 

A  bronze  honor  medal  of  the  same  design  is  also  awarded  to 
every  competitor,  not  a  prize  winner,  making  a  score  of  435  or 
better. 

MATCH  C— MILITARY  CHAMPIONSHIP.— Open  to  everybody; 
distance,  50  yards;  fifteen  consecutive  strings  of  5  shots  on  the 
same  target  as  Match  A;  each  string  must  be  shot  within  the  time 
limit  of  15  seconds,  taking  time  from  the  command,  Fire;  misfires 
and  shots  lost  on  account  of  the  arm  becoming  disabled  while  firing 
any  string  will  be  scored  zero;  if  a  shot  is  fired  after  the  time  limit 
has  elapsed,  the  shot  of  highest  count  will  be  deducted  from  the 
score;  no  cleaning  allowed;  arm,  any  military  revolver,  or  any  mili- 
tary magazine  pistol  within  the  rules;  ammunition,  the  full  charge 
service  cartridge,  or  equivalent  factory  loaded  ammunition  approved 
by  the  executive  committee;  the  score  must  be  completed  on  the 
same  day;  no  sighting  shots  will  be  allowed  after  beginning  the 
score;  entrance  tee,  $3;  no  re-entries. 

PRIZES:  First,  the  championship  silver  trophy  (an  elaborate  silver 
bowl,  value  $450),  to  be  held  by  the  winner  until  the  next  annual 
competition;  the  trophy  bears  the  inscription,  "  The  Military  Re- 
volver Championship  of  the  United  States  of  America";  the  name 
of  the  winner,  the  year,  and  the  score  are  also  engraved  on  the 
trophy  each  year;  to  the  winner  is  also  awarded  a  gold  medal 
(value,  $25),  with  the  same  inscription  on  the  reverse  side  as  ap- 
pears on  the  trophy. 

Second,  a  silver  and  gold  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse 
side. 

Third,  a  silver  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse  side. 

Fourth,  a  bronze  and  silver  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse 
side. 

Fifth,  a  bronze  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse  side. 

A  bronze  honor  medal  of  the  same  design  is  also  awarded  to  every 
competitor,  not  a  prize  winner,  making  a  score  of  500  or  better. 

In  1900  and  1901  the  military  target  with  a  4  x  5-inch  elliptical 
bull's-eye  was  used.  The  bull's-eye  counted  5  and  the  possible  was 
375.  Since  then  the  Standard  American  target  with  the  8-inch 
bull's-eye  has  been  used.  Prior  to  1904,  twenty-five  shots  were  fired 
at  each  of  three  ranges— 25,  50  and  75  yards.  That  year  the  other 
ranges  were  discontinued  and  the  75  shots  have  since  been  fired  at 
50  yards  only. 

MATCH  D— MILITARY  RECORD  MATCH.— Open  to  everybody; 
distance,  50  yards;  five  consecutive  strings  of  5  shots  under  the 
same  conditions  as  Match  C;  entrance  fee,  $1;  entries  unlimited. 


Appendix  H5 

This  match  was  instituted  in  1902.  Being  a  re-entry  match  it 
affords  good  practice  under  the  same  conditions  as  Match  C. 

PRIZES:  First,  a  gold  trophy  (a  laurel  wreath  surrounding  a  scroll, 
mounted  on  an  ebony  shield;  value,  $150);  between  the  scroll  and 
the  wreath  is  a  ribbon  on  which,  in  raised  letters,  is,  "  The  United 
States  Revolver  Association  ";  at  the  top  of  the  scroll  is  engraved, 
"  Military  Record  Match."  The  name  of  the  winner,  the  year,  and 
the  score  for  each  year  are  engraved  on  the  scroll  below;  this 
trophy  is  held  by  the  winner  until  the  next  annual  competition, 
and  is  to  become  the  property  of  the  competitor  winning  it  three 
times. 

Second,  a  silver  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse  side. 

Third,  a  bronze  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse  side. 

A  bronze  honor  medal  of  the  same  design  is  also  awarded  to 
every  competitor,  not  a  prize  winner,  making  a  score  of  175  or 
better. 

INDOOR  REVOLVER  CHAMPIONSHIP.— Open  to  everybody; 
distance,  20  yards;  light  must  be  artificial;  50  shots  on  the  Standard- 
American  target,  bull's-eye  2.72  inches  and  10  ring  1.13  inches  in 
diameter,  respectively;  arm,  any  revolver  within  the  rules;  am- 
munition, any  smokeless  gallery  charge.  The  score  must  be  com- 
pleted in  one  hour  or  less  from  the  time  of  firing  the  first  shot. 
Entrance  fee,  $3;  no  re-entries. 

PRIZES:  First,  a  silver  cup  (value,  $40),  bearing  the  names  and 
scores  of  the  winners,  to  be  held  until  the  next  annual  competition, 
the  cup  to  become  the  property  of  the  person  winning  it  three 
times. 

Second,  a  gold  and  silver  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse 
side. 

Third,  a  silver  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse  side. 

Fourth,  a  silver  and  bronze  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse 
side. 

Fifth,  a  bronze  medal,  with  inscription  on  the  reverse  side. 

A  bronze  honor  medal  will  also  be  awarded  to  any  competitor, 
not  a  prize  winner,  making  a  score  of  425  or  better. 

INDOOR  PISTOL,  CHAMPIONSHIP.— Open  to  everybody;  dis- 
tance, 20  yards;  light  must  be  artificial;  50  shots  on  the  Standard- 
American  target;  bull's-eye  2.72  inches  and  10  ring  1.13  inches  in 
diameter,  respectively;  arm,  any  pistol  within  the  rules;  ammuni- 
tion, any  smokeless  gallery  charge.  Black  powder  may  be  used  in 
22  cal.  arms.  The  score  must  be  completed  in  one  hour  or  less 
from  the  time  of  firing  the  first  shot.  Entrance  fee,  $3;  no  re- 
entries. 

PRIZES:  The  same  as  in  the  Indoor  Revolver  Championship,  except 
that  honor  medals  are  awarded  for  scores  of  435  or  better. 


146  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

RULES  AND  REGULATIONS    GOVERNING    THE 
CHAMPIONSHIP  MATCHES  OF  THE  U.  S.  R.  A. 

1.  General    Conditions.— Competitors    must    make    themselves    ac- 
quainted with  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Association,  as  the 
plea  of  ignorance  will  receive  no  consideration.     The  rulings  and 
decisions  of  the  executive  committee  are  final  in  all  cases.    These 
rules  are  for  general  application,  but  will  not  apply  in  cases  where 
the  special  conditions  of  any  match  conflict  with  them. 

2.  Classification  of  Arms.— (a)   Any  revolver.     A  revolver   of   any 
calibre.     Maximum  length  of  barrel  including  cylinder,   10  inches. 
Minimum  trigger  pull,  2£  pounds.     Sights  may  be  adjustable  but 
they  must  be  strictly  open,  in  front  of  the  hammer  and  not  over 
10  inches  apart. 

(b)  Any  pistol.    A  pistol  of  any  calibre.    Maximum  length  of  bar- 
rel,  10  inches.     Minimum  trigger  pull,   2  pounds.     Sights  may  be 
adjustable  but  they  must  be  strictly  open,  in  front  of  the  hammer 
and  not  over  10  inches  apart. 

(c)  Military  revolver  or  pistol.    A  revolver,  or  a  magazine  pistol, 
that  has  been  adopted  by  any  civilized  government  for  the  arma- 
ment of  its  army  or  navy.     Maximum  weight,   2|  pounds.     Maxi- 
mum length  of  barrel,  7i  inches.    Minimum  trigger  pull,  4  pounds. 
Fixed  open  sights.     Rear  sights  of  magazine  pistols  may  be  ad- 
justable for  elevation  only. 

(d)  Pocket  revolver.    A  revolver  having  a  maximum  weight  of  2 
pounds.     Maximum  length  of  barrel,   4  inches.     Minimum  trigger 
pull,  4  pounds.     Sights  and  model  must  be  such  as  not  to  hinder 
quick  drawing  of  the  weapon  from  the  pocket  or  holster. 

3.  Loading,  Firing,    Timing  and  Cleaning. — In  all  revolver  and  pistol 
matches  the  weapon  must  not  be  loaded  until  the  competitor  has 
taken  his  position  at  the  firing  point.    The  barrel  must  always  be 
kept  vertical  or  pointed  towards  the  target.     After  a  match   or 
record  score  has  been  begun,  in  case  of  an  accidental  discharge  or 
of  defective  ammunition,  if  the  bullet  comes  out  of  the  barrel  it 
will  be  scored  a  shot.    The  timing  in  matches  C  and  D  will  be  as 
follows:    The  competitor  standing  at  the  firing  point  with  the  arm 
loaded,  not  cocked,  and  the  barrel  pointing  downward  in  a  direc- 
tion not  less  than  45  degrees  from  the  target,  will  signify  to  the 
scorer  when  he  is  ready  to  begin  each  string.     The  scorer,   stop 
watch  in  hand,  will  then  give  the  command,   "  Fire,"  and  exactly 
fifteen  seconds  later  announce,  "  Time."    Misfires  will  not  be  scored 
except  in  matches  C  and  D.    Competitors  may  clean  weapons  in 
matches  A  and  B,  and  in  the  Indoor  Championships,  but  no  time 
allowance  will  be  made  for  time  spent  in  this  way.    All  competitors 
will  be  required  to  finish  their  scores  within  the  time  limits  speci- 
fied, except  in  cases  of  accident,  when  the  time  may  be  expended 
at  the  option  of  the  executive  committee.     Blowing  through  the 
barrel,  to  moisten  it,  will  be  considered  cleaning. 


Appendix  147 


In  revolver  matches  the  arm  must  not  be  used  as  a  single  loader 
or  loaded  so  as  to  use  a  limited  number  of  chambers  in  the  cylinder. 
The  cylinder  must  be  charged  with  the  full  number  of  rounds  for 
which  it  is  chambered,  and  these  must  be  shot  consecutively.  If 
scores  are  shot  in  ten  shot  strings,  the  cylinder  shall  be  charged 
first  with  six  rounds  and  then  with  four  rounds.  If  the  cylinder 
only  contains  five  chambers,  then  the  ten  shot  strings  may  be  shot 
in  two  strings  of  five  each.  In  matches  C  and  D,  and  in  the  indoor 
or  gallery  events,  the  arm  shall  in  all  cases  be  charged  with  five 
rounds. 

4.  Position.— The  position  shall  be  standing,   free  from  any  sup- 
port, the  pistol  or  revolver  being  held  in  one  hand,  with  arm  ex- 
tended, so  as  to  be  free  from  the  body. 

5.  Arms.— Any  revolver  or  pistol  which  in  the  opinion  of  the  ex- 
ecutive  committee   complies  with   the   conditions   specified   in   the 
various  matches  will  be  allowed  to  compete  in  those  events.    Re- 
volvers or  magazine  pistols  that  have  been  adopted  by  any  govern- 
ment for  the  armament  of  its  army  or  navy,   or  such  as  in  the 
opinion  of  the  executive  committee  are  suitable  for  military  ser- 
vice, will  be  allowed  in  matches  C  and  D.    Among  the  arms  which 
may  be  used  in  these  matches  are  the  .38  calibre  Smith  &  Wesson 
or  Colt  military;  .44  Smith  &  Wesson,  Russian  model;  44  Colt  New 
Service;   .45  Smith  &  Wesson   Scofield;   .45  Smith  &  Wesson  New 
Century;  .45  Colt,  and  the  following  magazine  or  automatic  pistols: 
Colt,  Borchardt,  Luger,  Mannlicher,  Mauser,  Mors. 

6.  Sights.— In  open  sights,  the  notch  of  the  rear  sight  must  be  as 
wide  on  top  as  at  any  part.    Aperture  or  peep  sights  or  any  cov- 
ered or  shaded  sights  will  not  be  allowed.    The  use  of  a  notch  for 
the  front  sight  will  not  be  permitted.     Sights  may  be  smoked  or 
blackened  if  desired.     Sights  on  military  arms,  if  modified  to  suit 
individuals,  must  remain  strictly  open,  strong  and  substantial,  and 
suitable  for  military  use. 

7.  Trigger-Pull.— The  trigger-pull  as  specified  in  the  various  events 
shall  be  determined  by  a  test  weight  equal  to  the  minimum  pull 
applied  at  a  point  three-eighths  of  an  inch  from  the  end  of  the  trig- 
ger and  at  right  angles  to  the  pin  through  the  trigger. 

8.  Ammunition.— In  matches  C  and  D,  and  in  the  medal  competi- 
tion,   where   full   charge   ammunition   is   required,   it   may  be   the 
product  of  any  reputable  manufacturer.     It  must  in  all  cases  be 
brought  to  the  firing  point  in  unbroken  boxes,  with  the  label  of  the 
manufacturer  intact. 

9.  Targets.     The   200-yard    Standard  American   rifle   target   No.    1 
(containing  the  4  ring),  with  an  eight-inch  bull's-eye  shall  be  used 
in  all  matches  at  50  yards.    The  diameters  of  the  rings  are  as  fol- 
lows: 10  ring  equals  3.36  inches;   9  ring  equals  5.54  inches;   8  ring 
equals  8  inches;  7  ring  equals  11  inches;  6  ring  equals  14.8  inches; 
5  ring  equals  19.68  inches;  4  ring  equals  26  inches;   rest  of  target 
28  inches  by  28  inches  counts  3.     The  same  target  reduced  so  that 
the  bull's-eye  or  8  ring  is  2.72  inches  in  diameter  and  the  10  ring  1.13 
inches  in  diameter,  shall  be  used  for  all  matches  at  20  yards. 


148  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

10.  Marking  and  Scoring. — In  all  matches  new  paper  targets  shall 
be  furnished  for  each  competitor.    Not  more  than  ten  shots  are  to 
be  fired  on  any  target  at  50  yards,  and  not  more  than  five  shots  on 
any  target  in  matches  C  and  D  and  for  all  shooting  at  20  yards; 
the  shot  holes  in  all  cases  to  remain  uncovered  and  left  as  shot. 
Bullets  touching,  striking,  or  within  a  line  on  the  target  are  to  be 
scored    the    count    of   that   line.      The    eye    alone    shall    determine 
whether  a  bullet  touches  a  line  or  not. 

11.  Ties.— Ties  shall  be  decided  as  follows:  (1)  By  the  score  at  the 
longest  distance;  (2)  by  the  score  at  the  next  longest  distance;  (3) 
by  the  fewest  number  of  shots  of  lowest  count;  (4)  by  firing  five 
shots  each  under  the  same  conditions  as  the  match  and  these  rules 
in  regard  to  ties,  until  decided. 

12.  Supervision.— The  shooting  in  all  the  U.  S.  R.  A.  events  must 
take  place  in  the  presence  of  at  least  two  witnesses,  one  of  whom 
must  be  an  authorized  officer  of  the  local   club,   or   shooting   or- 
ganization, or  a  governor  appointed  by  the  U.  S.  R.  A.    This  officer 
shall  certify  that  each  contestant  has  complied  with  all  the  U.  S. 
R.  A.  regulations  as  to  distance,  weapon,  time,  ammunition,  etc., 
noting  same  on  the  blank  spaces  provided  on  the  score  cards  and 
signing  the  score  cards  in  duplicate  for  each  contestant. 

13.  Protests.— Any  person  who  believes  that  an  injustice  has  been 
done,  or  who  dissents  from  the  decision  of  any  authorized  execu- 
tive officer  of  the  association,  may  enter  a  protest  on  depositing  $1 
with  the  cashier  or  acting  treasurer  of  the  club  or    organization 
under  whose  auspices  the  matches  are  held.    Such  protest  must  be 
in  writing,  in  duplicate,  and  must  be  made  within  24  hours  after 
the  incident  on  which  it  is  based.     One  copy  to  be  handed  to  the 
executive  officer  of  the  club  or  organization  conducting  the  matches 
and  the  other  copy  to  be  mailed  to  the  secretary-treasurer  of  the 
U.  S.  R.  A.    All  protests  will  be  investigated  and  passed  upon  by 
the  executive  committee,  and,  if  sustained,  the  protest  fee  will  be 
returned;  otherwise  it  will  be  forfeited. 

14.  Records. — The  shooting  for  records  shall,  when  practicable,  be 
done  on  the  grounds  or  in  a  gallery  of  a  regularly  organized  shoot- 
ing association,  military  organization  or  club,  and  in  the  presence 
of  at  least  two  witnesses,  one  of  whom  shall  be  an  officer  of  the 
U.  S.  R.  A.,  of  such  shooting  organization  or  club.     The  foregoing 
rules  and  regulations  and  the  conditions  governing  the  champion- 
ship matches  of  the  U.  S.  R.  A.  must  in  all  cases  be  observed  and 
followed.    The  record  score  shall  begin  with  the  first  shot  after  the 
shooter  has  announced  his  intention  to  shoot  for  record;  only  the 
first  ten  shots  will  apply  to  the  ten  shot  record;   the  first  twenty 
shots  to  the  twenty  shot  record,  and  so  on  to  50  or  100  shots,  as  the 
shooter  may  desire.     Such  scores  for  record  must  in  all  cases  be 
completed  within  the  same  proportional  time  limit  as  is  specified 
for   the   corresponding   championship   match.     After   finishing   the 
record  score,  the  target  shall  be  identified  and  signed  by  the  wit- 
nesses as  above  designated.    The  witnesses  shall  also  prepare  and 
sign  a  certificate  of  prescribed  form,  which,  with  the  detailed  score 


Appendix  149 

and  all  targets,  shall  be  forwarded  to  the  U.  S.  R.  A.,  addressed  to 
the  secretary-treasurer.  If  all  the  conditions,  rules  and  regulations 
have  been  complied  with,  the  scoring-  correct,  and  if  the  score  is 
higher  than  or  equal  to  any  previously  made  under  the  same  con- 
ditions, it  will  be  declared  a  new  record.  The  score  will  then  be 
entered  as  such  in  the  record  book  of  the.  association,  and  the 
shooter  formally  notified  to  that  effect. 


METHODS  AND  CUSTOMS  TO  BE  FOLLOWED  IN 
CONDUCTING  THE  ANNUAL  COMPETITIONS 
OF  THE  U.  S.  E.  A. 

The  conditions  under  which  local  clubs  may  be  authorized  to  con- 
duct the  Championship  Matches  of  the  U.  S.  R.  A.  are  as  follows: 

There  must  be  not  less  than  six  members  of  the  Association  re- 
siding within  twenty-five  miles  of  the  proposed  place  of  holding  the 
contest  and  there  must  be  not  less  than  three  entries  in  one  of  the 
Championship  matches. 

The  IT.  S.  R.  A.  will  furnish  certified  targets,  score  cards,  and 
the  prizes  for  the  Championship  events;  the  club  or  organization 
to  furnish  the  shooting  facilities  free  of  expense  to  the  Association 
and  turn  over  to  the  secretary-treasurer  all  the  entrance  fees  for 
the  U.  S.  R.  A.  events.  This  plan  has  in  all  cases  given  satisfactory 
results,  because  the  practice  shooting  of  the  contestants  in  the  local 
re-entry  matches  usually  affords  sufficient  revenue  to  pay  the  ex- 
penses of  the  tournament. 

When  a  competitor  signifies  his  intention  to  shoot  in  any  of  the 
events  after  paying  the  entrance  fee,  a  regular  ticket  or  duplicate 
score  card  (furnished  by  the  United  States  Revolver  Association) 
is  filled  out  and  issued  to  him,  which  is  his  receipt  for  the  entrance 
fee.  His  score  need  not  necessarily  be  shot  immediately  after  issu- 
ing the  ticket.  The  ticket,  however,  gives  him  his  right  of  priority 
in  case  he  wishes  to  shoot  at  a  certain  time  and  there  are  other 
competitors  who  wish  to  shoot  also  at  that  time.  Tickets  not  used 
are  forfeited. 

The  requisite  number  of  targets  will  also  be  issued  simultane- 
ously with  the  score  card.  These  must  be  numbered  consecutively, 
they  must  have  the  competitors  name  and  number  of  his  score 
card  written  on  them  for  identification,  and  must  be  shot  in  their 
numerical  order.  The  targets  are  usually  tacked  at  the  corners  on 
alternating  frames  covered  with  canvas  with  heavy  paper  pasted 
over  it.  Each  target  is  left  in  position  until  the  required  number  of 
shots  have  been  fired  at  it,  each  shot  being  spotted  and  marked  as 
fired  [no  pasters  to  be  used].  When  a  string  has  been  finished  the 
target  is  lowered  and  the  alternating  target  raised  in  position. 


i5°  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

After  the  score  is  completed  the  targets  are  brought  to  the  firing 
point  and  delivered  to  the  range  officer. 

When  a  competitor  wishes  to  shoot  his  score,  his  arm  must  be 
inspected  and  passed  by  the  officer  in  charge,  who  must  see  that  it 
conforms  with  the  rules  and  requirements  of  the  event  in  which  it 
is  entered.  Competitors  who  wish  to  enter  in  any  of  the  events 
should  be  urged  to  have  their  arms  examined  by  the  executive 
officer  or  committee  in  charge  of  the  matches  as  soon  as  possible, 
so  that  in  case  there  should  be  any  exceptions  made  to  the  sights, 
the  trigger-pull,  or  any  other  details,  there  will  be  an  opportunity 
to  have  these  exceptions  corrected  so  as  to  comply  with  the  re- 
quirements when  the  official  test  and  inspection  is  made  before 
shooting  the  score. 

In  matches  C  and  D  the  scorer  should  have  a  reliable  stop  watch, 
so  that  the  timing  will  be  accurate.  It  is  well,  whenever  possible, 
to  have  two  men  time  the  competitor,  so  as  to  have  an  additional 
check.  A  new  target  must  be  furnished  for  each  string  of  five 
shots  at  each  range.  According  to  the  rules,  if  a  competitor  starts 
to  shoot  a  string  at  any  range  and  his  arm  becomes  disabled  from 
any  cause,  those  shots  which  reach  the  target  within  fifteen  sec- 
onds after  the  command  "  Fire,"  will  be  counted  as  the  complete 
score  for  the  five  shots.  In  the  case  of  a  disabled  arm,  the  officer 
or  committee  in  charge  may  allow  the  competitor  to  complete  the 
remaining  strings  of  his  score  with  another  arm.  Shots  on  the 
paper  target  outside  of  the  4  ring  count  3;  shots  missing  the  paper 
target  count  zero.  After  completing  the  score,  when  the  duplicate 
score  cards  are  filled  out,  the  contestant  takes  the  duplicate  and 
the  range  officer  retains  the  original  for  record. 

All  original  score  cards  and  all  the  targets  shot  in  the  various 
events  are  to  be  carefully  preserved  and  promptly  at  the  close  of 
the  contest  forwarded,  carriage  prepaid,  to  the  United  States  Re- 
volver Association,  addressed  to  the  secretary-treasurer. 

All  unused  targets  and  score  cards  are  to  be  similarly  forwarded 
to  the  secretary-treasurer  with  a  complete  detailed  account  of 
entrance  fees,  supplies,  etc. 

In  the  Medal  Competition  only  those  targets  that  actually  count 
for  medals  are  to  be  witnessed,  certified  and  forwarded  to  the 
secretary-treasurer  for  verification  and  record. 

In  order  that  the  conditions  may  be  uniform  and  eliminate  as 
much  as  possible  the  special  conditions  in  regard  to  wind,  etc.,  that 
may  exist  at  the  different  places  where  the  matches  may  be  held, 
the  shooters  should  be  protected  at  the  firing  point  by  a  shelter. 
This  may  be  either  the  regular  shooting  house  of  the  club,  or,  if 
the  shooting  is  done  in  the  open,  by  a  suitable  tent  or  temporary 
frame  structure  having  an  opening  in  the  direction  of  the  target; 
the  other  three  sides  being  inclosed.  The  building  or  tent  should 
be  large  enough  to  accommodate  also  the  officer  or  committee  in 
charge  of  the  match,  so  that  the  shooter  may  be  at  all  times  in 
sight  of  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  range  at  the  time  the  score  is 


Appendix  1  5 


made.  A  table  of  suitable  size  should  be  provided  near  the  firing 
point  for  holding  ammunition  and  for  the  convenience  of  the  com- 
petitor to  clean  his  arm  in  those  events  where  cleaning  is  allowed. 
The  firing  point  should  be  plainly  marked  and  so  located  as  to  be 
at  least  two  feet  from  any  timbers,  guards,  ropes,  tables,  etc. 


INSTRUCTIONS  TO  RANGE  OFFICERS  IN 
CHARGE  OF  THE  CHAMPIONSHIP  CONTESTS 
OF  THE  U.  S.  R.  A. 

Certified  targets,  score  cards  and  reading  matter  will  be  furnished 
by  this  Association.  A  governor  or  other  officer  of  the  U.  S.  R.  A. 
or  local  club,  shooting  or  military  organization,  will  be  appointed 
in  each  locality  where  the  matches  are  to  be  held  to  act  as  range 
officer,  represent  the  Association,  and  have  charge  of  the  contests. 
This  governor  or  officer  shall  personally  measure  the  range  to  verify  the 
distance  and  see  that  all  the  conditions  of  the  matches  are  strictly 
complied  with.  He  will  also  see  that  at  least  one  other  person  is 
present  to  witness  all  the  shooting  and  he  shall  certify  to  the  cor- 
rectness of  each  score  and  the  conditions,  by  signing  the  score  card 
when  the  score  is  completed,  and  all  the  targets  of  each  com- 
petitor. The  other  duties  in  detail  of  the  governor  or  officer  in 
charge  of  the  matches  are  as  follows:  When  a  competitor  ex- 
presses his  intention  of  entering  a  match,  a  score  card  is  made  out 
in  his  name  and  delivered  to  him  on  the  payment  of  the  entrance 
fee.  These  score  cards  are  to  be  issued  in  numerical  order,  and 
when  more  than  one  contestant  wishes  to  shoot  at  the  same  time, 
the  man  holding  the  first  score  card  is  entitled  to  the  preference 
of  position  and  time.  When  the  contestant  is  ready  to  shoot,  he 
hands  his  score  card  to  the  governor  or  other  officer  of  the  Asso- 
ciation who  thereupon  issues  the  required  targets  numbered  con- 
secutively, with  the  name  of  the  competitor  and  the  number  of  his 
score  card  written  on  each  target.  The  arm  of  the  competitor  is 
then  inspected  to  make  sure  that  it  complies  with  the  rules  and 
regulations  as  given  in  the  U.  S.  R.  A.  booklet.  The  sights  must 
be  carefully  inspected  and  the  trigger  pull  tested  by  weighing  in 
just  before  the  score  is  begun.  The  records  for  which  blanks  are  pro- 
vided on  the  score  card  with  reference  to  the  arm,  ammunition, 
etc.,  are  then  filled  in  and  the  first  target  placed  in  position.  As 
soon  as  the  contestant  begins  his  score,  the  time  is  taken  from  the 
firing  of  the  first  shot  in  matches  A  and  B  and  in  the  Indoor  Cham- 
pionships, and  the  entire  score  must  be  completed  within  one  hour 
from  this  time.  In  matches  C  and  D  the  time  is  taken  from  the 
command  "  Fire,"  and  the  five  shots  must  be  fired  within  15  sec- 
onds. The  announcing  of  intermediate  times  or  seconds  is  not 


152  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

allowed.  Ten  shots  are  to  be  fired  at  each  target  in  matches  A 
and  B,  and  five  shots  at  each  target  in  matches  C  and  D  and  in 
the  Indoor  Championships.  After  the  score  is  completed,  the  sep- 
arate targets  are  scored  and  the  value  of  the  shots  filled  in  the 
score  card,  making  corrections  from  the  targets,  if  mistakes  have 
been  made  by  the  markers,  in  the  order  that  the  targets  are  shot. 
After  filling  in  and  signing  the  score  cards,  the  duplicate  is  handed 
to  the  competitor  and  the  original  preserved  for  record.  The  tar- 
gets are  then  signed  by  the  governor  and  preserved  until  the  ex- 
piration of  the  period  during  which  the  matches  are  held,  when 
all  targets,  original  score  cards  and  other  supplies  are  to  be  sent 
to  the  United  States  Revolver  Association,  addressed  to  the  Secre- 
tary-Treasurer. It  is  recommended  that  all  scores  after  being  shot, 
verified,  etc.,  be  wrapped  in  paper  in  separate  packages,  marked 
with  the  competitor's  name,  and  that  no  one  be  permitted  to  handle 
and  examine  these  targets  after  they  have  been  scored  and  cer- 
tified to. 

For   information    relative    to    state    championships,    U.    S.    R.    A. 
medal    competitions,    etc.,    address    the   Secretary-Treasurer. 

RECORDS 

The  following  records  have  been  made  under  the  United  States 
Revolver  Association  rules  since  their  adoption: 

REVOLVER,  50  YARDS 

50  shots: 

April  26,   1903,   J.   E.   Gorman,   San  Francisco,   Cal. 

94—91—88—90-95 458 

Sept.   7,   1904,    Dr.   I.   R.   Calkins,    Springfield,   Mass. 

888  9  9  10  10  10  10  10-92 
999  9  10  10  10  10  10  10-96 
8  9  9  10  10  10  10  10  10  10—96 
689  9  9  9  10  10  10  10-91 
788  9  9  9  10  10  10  10—90 465 

30  shots: 

April  26,   1903,   J.   E.   Gorman,   San  Francisco,   Cal. 

94—91—88 273 

Sept.  7,  1904,  Dr.   I.  R.  Calkins,  Springfield,  Mass. 

92—96—96 284 

20  shots: 

April  26,   1903,   J.   E.   Gorman,   San  Francisco,   Cal. 

94—91 185 

Sept.   7,   1904,    Dr.   I.   R.   Calkins,    Springfield,   Mass. 

92—96 188 

10  shots: 

J.   E.   Gorman,   San  Francisco,   Cal.,   April  26,   1903 94 


Appendix  153 

MILITARY  REVOLVER,  RAPID  FIRE,  50  YARDS 

75  shots;   in  strings  of  5  shots  in  15  seconds: 

Sept.   16,   1904,    Thomas  Anderton,   Creedmoor,    N.   Y 585 

25  shots;  in  string's  of  5  shots  in  15  seconds: 

Sept.,   1902,   Thomas  Anderton,   Sea   Girt,   N.   J 206 

REVOLVER,  20  YARDS 

50  shots: 

March,   1902,   W.  E.   Petty,   New  York,   N.   Y. 

89—88—94—82—86 439 

June  11,   1903,   Dr.  W.   H.   Luckett,   New  York,   N.   Y. 

91—93—91—93-96 464 

March  4,  1904,  Sidney  E.  Sears,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

95—96—96—95—96 478 

30  shots: 

March,   1902,   W.   E.  Petty,   New  York,   N.  Y. 

89—88—94 271 

June  11,   1903,   Dr.   W.   H.   Luckett,   New  York,   N.   Y. 

91—93—91 275 

March  4,  1904,  Sidney  E.   Sears,   St.  Louis,   Mo. 

95—96—96 287 

20  shots: 

March,  1902,  W.   E.   Petty,   New  York,    N.   Y.      89—88 177 

March,  1903,  Dr.  W.  H.  Luckett,  New  York,  N.  Y.  93—85....  178 
June  11,  1903,  Dr.  W.  H.  Luckett,  New  York,  N.  Y.  91—93....  184 
March  4,  1904,  Sidney  E.  Sears,  St.  Louis,  Mo.  95—96 191 

10  shots: 

March,  1902,  Dr.  W.  H.   Luckett,   New  York,   N.   Y 93 

March  4,  1904,  Sidney  E.   Sears,   St.  Louis,   Mo 96 

June  11,  1904,   J.  B.   Crabtree,   Springfield,  Mass 98 

Nov.  15,  1907,  C.  C.  Grossman,   St.  Louis,   Mo 100 

PISTOL,  50  YARDS 

50  shots: 

April  4,   1903,   Thomas  Anderton,   Walnut  Hill,  Mass. 

10    10    10      9    10    10  10  10  10  10—99 

9      9    10    10    10      9  10  9  9  9—94 

9    10    10      9      9      9  10  10  10  10—96 

10    10    10    10    10    10  10  10  10  9—99 

8      9      9      8    10      9  10  10  9  10—92 480 

30  shots: 

E.  E.  Patridge,  Walnut  Hill,  Mass.,  March  21,  1903. 

96—96—95    287 
Thomas  Anderton,  Walnut  Hill,  Mass.,  April  4,  1903. 

99-94-96 289 


1 54  The  Pistol  and  Revolver 

20  shots: 

B.  B.  Patridge,  Walnut  Hill,  March  21,  1903.    96—96 192 

Thomas  Anderton,  Walnut  Hill,  Mass.,  April  4,  1903.    99—94..  193 

10  shots: 

Eugene  E.  Patridge,   Walnut  Hill,  Mass.,  March  21,  1903 96 

Thomas  Anderton,  Walnut  Hill,  Mass.,  April  4,  1903 99 

PISTOL,  20  YARDS 
50  shots: 

March,  1902,  Lieut.  R.  H.  Sayre,  New  York,  N.  Y. 

88—85—87—93-95 448 

March,  1903,  Thomas  Anderton,   Boston,   Mass. 

92—97—87—93—91 460 

30  shots: 

March,  1902,  Lieut.  R.  H.  Sayre,  New  York,  N.  Y. 

88-85—87 260 

March,  1903,  Thomas  Anderton,   Boston,   Mass. 

92—97—87 276 

20  shots: 

March,  1902,  Lieut.  R.  H.  Sayre,  New  York,  N.  Y.    88—85 173 

March,  1903,  Thomas  Anderton,   Boston,   Mass.    92—97 189 

10  shots: 

March,  1903,  Thomas  Anderton,  Boston,  Mass 92 

March  24,  1906,  John  A.  Dietz,  New  York,  N.  Y 93 

May  5,  1906,  J.  B.  Crabtree,  Springfield,  Mass 95 


INDEX 


Accidents,  86,  105. 

Accuracy  of  revolver,  29,  45. 

Aiming1,   106  to  110. 

Air  space  for  "dense"  powders, 

134,    142. 
Annual   matches,    79,    115,    143   to 

145. 

Ammunition,   34  to  52,  147. 
"Any"   pistol  defined,  146. 
"Any"  revolver  defined,  146. 
Arms,   15,   147. 
Artificial  light,   97. 
Automatic    pistol,    22,    23,    24,    26, 

114. 
Automatic  revolver,  20,  23. 


BB  caps,  114. 

Bisley,  47. 

Blacking1  sights,   116. 

Bore,  to  measure,  131. 

Bullets,   126. 

Bullets  stuck  in  barrels,  113. 


Dedication,  3. 
Disqualification,  115. 
Double  actions,   104, 
Drawing  arms,  118. 
Duelling,  12,   56. 


B 


Exhibition  shooting,  30. 


Finish  of  arms,  103. 

Firing,   146. 

Fit  of  arms,  101. 

Fit  of  bullets,  130. 

"  Flinching,"  24,  89,  104. 

Fluids,   cleaning,   122. 

Fluxing  lead,   127. 

Fouling,  34,   43,  51,  119,   121. 

Franco-American     matches, 

to  71. 
"  Freak  "  arms,  30. 


Care  in  handling  arms,  105. 
Carrying  arms,  119. 
Cartridges,  center  fire,  38. 
Cartridges,  rim  fire,  35. 
Central-fire  ammunition,    38. 
Championship    matches,    143    to 

145. 
Cheap   arms,    to  be  avoided,   16, 

100. 

Classification  of  arms,  146. 
Cleaning  and  care  of  arms,   121 

to  124,  143. 
Clubs,  90. 
Coaching,  111. 

Competing   in  .matches,    114. 
Confinement  of  powder,  134. 
Corrosion,   82,   123. 
Crimping  shells,  135. 


Gallery  charges,  139  to  142. 
Gallery  ranges,  95  to  98. 
"  Gas   cutting,"   130. 


H 

Handles  or  stocks,   103. 
Hardening  bullets,  131. 
Hat  for  shooting,  116. 
Hints  for  beginners,   100. 
Holding  position,  102,  110. 
Holster  weapons,  32,  118. 
Hunting  charges,  50. 


International  matches,  68  to  71. 


I56 


The  Pistol  and  Revolver 


R 


Ladies'   clubs,  88. 
Ladies,  pistol  shooting  for,  J 
Large  calibers,  80. 
Leading  of  barrel,  113. 
Long  range  shooting,   72. 
Lubricant,  36,  132. 
Lubricating  bullets,  132,  142. 


M 

Manipulation,  105. 
Marking,  92,  148. 
Matches,   121,  143,  144,   145. 
Measuring  powder,  138. 
Metal-cased  bullets,  51. 
Military  arms,  16. 
Misfires,   .22-cal.,  114. 
Moulding  bullets,  127  to  130. 
Muzzle  loading  pistol,  11. 
Muzzle  velocities,  49. 


Rapid  fire  shooting,  117. 

Ranges,   90. 

Range  officers,  115,  151. 

Records,   65,  67,  68,  148,  152. 

Record,   definition  of,   68. 

Reduced  charges,  139  to  142. 

Reloading  ammunition,  124  to 
142. 

Revolver  practice,  73  to  79,  119, 
120. 

Revolver  practice  for  the  po- 
lice, 82. 

Revolver,   definition  of,  15,  146. 

Rim  fire  cartridges,  35. 

Round  bullets,  140  to  142. 

Rule  to  correct  sights,  111. 

Rules,   99,  146  to  151. 

Rust,   82,  85,  123. 


N 

National    Guard    revolver    prac- 
tice, 76. 

National  organizations,  30. 
National  Rifle  Association,  15. 


Oils,   122. 

Opening  mouth  of  shells,  137. 


Paine-Bennett  match,  66. 

Paine  sights,  54. 

Patridge   sight,    54. 

Penetration,   49. 

Physical     condition     important. 

117. 

Pistols,  25. 

Pistol,  definition  of,  15,  146. 
Pistol  shooting  for  ladies,  86. 
Pocket  arms,  31,  32,  118,  146. 
Position,  55,  106,  147. 
Possibles,  80. 
Powders,  132  to  136. 
Powder  measures,  138. 
Primers,  120,  125. 
Practice  shooting,  73  to  81,  84. 
Proportion  of  charges,  35. 
Protests,  115,  148. 
Pulling  the  trigger,   109,   110. 
Pull  of  trigger,  103,  112. 


Scoring,  80,  148. 
Second  hand  arms,  100. 
Selecting  arms,  100. 
Self-lubricating  bullets,  47. 
Shelter  for  contestants,  150. 
Shooting  matches,   121. 
Shells,   125,  136,  137,  140. 
Shooting  rules,  99,  146. 
Sights,  16,  53,  54,  111,  112,  147. 
Sizing  bullets,  132. 
Small  bull's-eyes  undesirable,  81. 
Smokeless  charges  (new),  50. 
Smokeless  powder,  48,  133  to  136. 
Spectacles,   116. 
"  Spotting,"  94. 
Standard    American    target,    78, 

79. 

Stopping  power,  16,  52. 
Supervision,   148. 


T 


10,  81,  147. 


Targets,  74,  78,  79, 
Target  arms,  24. 
Target,  definition  of,  61. 
Target  shooting,  61,  71,  111. 
Tests,  51,  66. 
Ties,  148. 
Timing,   143. 
Tin  for  bullets,  127. 
Training,    117. 
Trick  shooting,  30. 
Trigger  pull,  103,  112,   147. 
"  Trolleys,"  96. 


Index  157 


u 


United  States  Army  medals,  75.       Ventilation,  79. 
United  States  Army   regulation 

practice,  73.  W 

United   States   Army   target,   74. 
United   States   Navy   regulation       Weather  conditions,  116. 

practice,  75.  Winan's  trophy,  67. 

United    States    Revolver    Asso-        Wind,  116,  117. 

ciation,   68,  79,   143  to  151.  Wrong  ammunition,  112. 


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